Winnipeg - Winnipeggers view the $20-million worth of new bike lanes, trails and paths built in recent years as helping make it easier for both cyclists and motorists to travel in Winnipeg, a new Probe Research-Winnipeg Free Press poll suggests.

Seven-in-ten Winnipeg adults (71%) see these new bike lanes, trails and paths as making travel around the city easier for Winnipeg cyclists, with only a slightly smaller proportion (60%) indicating that this new cycling infrastructure makes it easier for Winnipeg motorists to get around.

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Labels: City of Winnipeg, cycling, Probe Research, Winnipeg issues

Winnipeg – More than one-half of Winnipeg adults see the City of Winnipeg Police Department’s reported crackdown on traffic violations as a means to raise money for the City rather than a sincere effort to make Winnipeg’s streets safer, a new Probe Research Inc. survey conducted for the Winnipeg Free Press finds.

When asked if they believe the Winnipeg Police Service's recent decision to conduct more traffic enforcement is intended to raise revenue from fines or about keeping the roads safe, a majority of city adults (56%) expressed the view that it is mainly a money-making ploy. More than one-in-four respondents (27%), on the other hand, believe that the extra enforcement is intended to make Winnipeg’s streets safer, while one-in-ten adults (11%) believe that these steps are designed to achieve both financial and road safety goals. Two percent, meanwhile, said this was being done for some other reason, while four percent were undecided.

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Labels: City of Winnipeg, Probe Research, traffic enforcement, Winnipeg issues, Winnipeg Police Service

Winnipeg – A strong majority of Winnipeg adults would outlaw panhandling at intersections, a Probe Research Inc. survey conducted exclusively for the Winnipeg Free Press finds. Other research reveals that that only a small proportion of citizens would actually give money to panhandlers if they were approached.

The City of Winnipeg is currently studying whether to pass a bylaw preventing panhandling at city intersections. Fully seven-in-ten Winnipeg adults (70%) are in favour of such a bylaw, with 47 percent of those surveyed indicating that they strongly support such an anti-panhandling bylaw and an additional 23 percent saying they moderately support this type of ban. Just one-in-five adults, on the other hand, opposed this type of bylaw (21%, including 11% who are moderately opposed and 10% who are strongly opposed). Four percent of those surveyed said their support for an anti-panhandling measure would depend on specific bylaw details, while five percent were unsure or did not express an opinion.

As well, the majority of Winnipeg adults (70%) said they would not provide money if approached by a panhandler, compared to just 15 percent who said they would likely reach into their pockets. A similar proportion (14%) said their likelihood of giving money to a panhandler would depend on the situation.

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Labels: City of Winnipeg, panhandling, Probe Research

Winnipeg – The federal Conservative government continues to be perceived by Manitoba’s corporate executives as the most “business-friendly” level of government, a new survey by Probe Research Inc. reveals.

The latest edition of the Manitoba Business Leaders’ Index asked Manitoba’s business owners and executives to rate the three levels of government on their respective efforts to create a “good climate” for business. The federal government is still considered by executives in the province to be doing the most to create a positive business climate, with nearly four-in-ten (38%) indicating this level of government is doing an “excellent” or “good” job in this regard.

While the federal government received favourable ratings from executives, municipal governments in the province improved their standing among business leaders and are now virtually tied with the federal government in terms of business approval. A growing proportion of CEOs (37%, up from 29% in early 2010) said local municipalities are doing an “excellent” or “good” job of encouraging business growth.

The provincial NDP government, meanwhile, continues to be viewed less favourably by Manitoba business leaders. Just slightly more than one-in-four respondents (27%) shared the view that the provincial government’s business policies have been “excellent” or “good.”

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Labels: City of Winnipeg, Conservative Party, federal politics, Manitoba Business Leaders Index, NDP, Probe Research, provincial politics

Winnipeg – Residents of Winnipeg want their next city council use municipal tax dollars to lure corporate head offices to Manitoba and stimulate local manufacturing, while “bricks-and-mortar” investments such as refurbishing downtown buildings and expanding the Winnipeg Convention Centre fall further down citizens’ list of priorities.

A Jory Capital-Probe Research Inc. survey of 600 Winnipeg adults conducted exclusively for the Winnipeg Free Press reveals that one-half of the city’s adult citizens believes investing tax dollars to encourage companies to relocate their head offices to Manitoba’s capital city should be a “top” or “high” priority for the next council (50%, including 14% who say this is a “top priority” for the next council).

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Labels: 2010 municipal election, City of Winnipeg, Jory Capital, Probe Research, Winnipeg issues

Winnipeg – Winnipeg voters could be in for one of the tightest races for the mayor’s chair in the city’s history as incumbent mayor Sam Katz and challenger Judy Wasylycia-Leis enter October statistically tied in support, a new Probe Research Inc. survey conducted exclusively for the Winnipeg Free Press reveals...

Probe Research asked 439 Winnipeg residents who said that they intend to vote in this fall’s mayoral election to specify which candidate they will support on October 27th. One-half (50%) of these intended voters reported that they would cast their ballots for former NDP MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis, while almost as many (47%) reported that they intended to vote for incumbent mayor Sam Katz. Lower profile candidates Brad Gross (2%) and Rav Gill (1%) trailed far behind.

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Labels: 2010 municipal election, Brad Gross, City of Winnipeg, Judy Wasylycia-Leis, Probe Research, Rav Gill, Sam Katz