At The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, we’re proud to be able to provide our members with unique opportunities to network at events that put them shoulder-to-shoulder with some of Winnipeg’s most powerful influencers.

The Civic Leaders Dinner is a Chamber-exclusive opportunity for our members to converse directly with Mayor Brian Bowman, City of Winnipeg councillors, and much of the City’s administrative staff about issues that are important to them and directly affect the success of their business.

The concept is simple; take a seat at your table, enjoy a three-course meal, and city officials will rotate from table to table around the room. Think of it like speed dating, except politics is a totally acceptable topic of conversation, and you don’t have to pretend to like and agree with everyone you meet.

We’ve got a great line-up of attending City officials this year, and thought it might be helpful to give a bit of a more specific overview of the areas and issues each employee looks after (the ones that aren’t immediately obvious), and even provide some sample “ice breaker” questions to ask, to help you get the wheels turning.

Have a look at the guest list:

CITY COUNCIL

• Brian Bowman (Mayor)
• John Orlikow (Councillor, River Heights – Fort Garry)
• Kevin Klein (Councillor, Charleswood – Tuxedo)
• Scott Gillingham (Councillor, St. James)
• Brian Mayes (Councillor, St. Vital)
• Janice Lukes (Councillor, Waverly West)
• Vivian Santos (Councillor, Point Douglas)
• Markus Chambers (Deputy Mayor, St. Norbert – Seine River)
• Shawn Nason (Councillor, Transcona)
• Jeff Browaty (Councillor, North Kildonan)
• Sherri Rollins (Councillor, Fort Rouge – East Fort Garry)
• Ross Eadie (Councillor, Mynarski)​

ADMINISTRATION

• Doug McNeil (Chief Administrative Officer)
• Stan Dueck (Manager, Development & Inspections) – Building permits, inspections, construction
• Sara Cianflone (Acting Manager, Economic Development) – Attracting investment, targeting and supporting business development
  • “In your opinion, what are some key economic areas in Winnipeg that have a particularly large window for growth over the next few years?”
  • “Are there any exciting new businesses coming to Winnipeg in 2019 that I may not have heard about yet?”
• Marc Pittet (Manager, Real Estate & Land Development) – City-owned real estate, selling of properties
• Angie Cusson (Director, Human Resources) – City of Winnipeg employment
• Michael Legary (Chief Innovation Officer) – Discovery and implementation of new City initiatives and products to promote municipal growth
  • “My company is developing a revolutionary new project management software; is that something the City would be interested in having a look at?”
  • “Tell about an initiative the City will be implementing in 2019 that you’re particularly excited about.”
• Mike Ruta (Chief Financial Officer) – Taxation, City finances, spending priorities
  • “What are some key areas that the City has budgeted more funds for in 2019?”
  • “Could I explain to you why I think it’s important for the City to allocate more funds for transit development?”
• Dave Wardrop (Chief Transportation & Utilities Officer) – Road building sector, transportation planning, transit routes
• Michael Jack (Chief Corporate Services Officer)
• Georges Chartier (Chief Asset & Project Management Officer) – Infrastructure planning, re-building of roads, bridges
• John Lane (Fire Paramedic Chief)
• Jim Berezowsky (Director, Public Works) – Maintenance of streets and parks, snow clearing
  • “I’m interested to get the City’s opinion on which areas you feel could be improved and deserve the most attention when it comes to snow clearing efforts.”
  • “Could you give me a general overview on how you prioritize street reparation across Winnipeg? Why does it seem like some roads in particularly poor condition aren’t receiving any attention?”
• Cindy Fernandes (Director, Community Services) – Recreational programs and facilities
• Felicia Wiltshire (Director, Customer Service and Communications) – Winnipeg 311, Office of Public Engagement
  • “How can I be more aware of developments specifically in the area of the city where my offices are that may affect my business?”
  • “I have a lot to say about the increasing cost of street parking, but I want to make sure I’m reaching the right people and being heard. Can you help me ensure I’m following the correct channels?”
• Greg Ewankiw (Director, Transit)
  • “My business is not easily reached via current transit routes. How often do you re-evaluate your routes, and what factors do you consider when changing routes or adding new stops?”
  • “I recently visited Bloomington, Illinois, and they have a great live map online that shows exactly where their public transit vehicles are. Is this something that could be realistic for Winnipeg?”
• Moira Geer (Director, Water and Waste) – Water and waste, water treatment facilities
• Rob Taylor (Infrastructure Planning, Manager of Major Capital Project Oversight) – Infrastructure projects, oversight and transparency
  • “What lessons did the City of Winnipeg learn from the debacle with the new police headquarters, and what measures have been taken to ensure something similar doesn’t happen again?”
  • “Has the City changed how they assess risk and budget for all projects, or just major projects like the Waverly underpass?”
• Barb D’Avignon (Manager, Materials) – Purchasing of services, bid opportunities, tendering process

For more information on our upcoming Civic Leaders Dinner, or to purchase tickets, click here.