Main Street North Reconstruction Project

The stretch of Main Street north of Manitoba Avenue to Lake is being transformed to become vibrant, safe, accessible, and pedestrian-friendly.

The city partnered with the Province of Manitoba, who resurfaced the driving lanes, while the city invested $4,983,216 into improving turning lanes, boulevards, medians, and sidewalks, and will introduce modern, accessible crosswalks at Morris and Queen in a cost-effective move.

Additionally, Active Transportation (AT) pathways were included on both sides of the street to provide safer routes for cyclists and pedestrians and will connect to the existing AT network.

The city will continue its naturalization efforts on the medians with shrubs, wildflowers, and prairie grasses, and will establish rain gardens at various intersections, which are designed to mitigate stormwater runoff and water plants.

The project will also include the planting of new street trees, with many of them integrated into Silva Cells, which will optimize root growth and ensure long-term tree health.

JULY 25, 2025 UPDATE:

The straw that citizens may be wondering about is covering the newly planted seeds to help them become established and to keep moisture in the soil.

Planting on boulevards, medians, in the rain gardens and in benches is not complete and will continue to take place throughout the summer and into the fall as plants become available.

The plants will also take a couple of years to become established and look as intended.

Naturalized landscapes are better for the environment and require far less staff maintenance once established.

The contractor responsible for the planting and maintenance of all that has been and will be planted is watering and caring for all trees, plants and seeded areas.

We are aware that some of the plants appear to be dying. As with any project of this size, plant loss is inevitable and anything that does not make it will be replanted.

The city is continuing to meet with the contractor to observe progress and assess issues

Construction started in May of 2024 and is ongoing until completion (anticipated fall 2025).

Force Main Tie-In

The force main that runs along Main Street is a critical piece of infrastructure carrying 90% of the city’s sewage to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. To enhance this system and to prevent failure, a new secondary pipe is being installed along Main Street to enable switching between the old and new pipes. This work will allow the city to perform future upgrades to the existing pipe to enhance durability and avoid pipe failure and mass sewage leaks.