Not-for-Profit Not Solution for Assiniboine Park

CUPE Local 500, the union that represents the majority of City of Winnipeg workers, is speaking out against the recommendation contained in a recent report that a new independent corporation be created to run Assiniboine Park. The union's recommendation is that the city work co-operatively with all stakeholders to build on the experience of city officials and workers, committed volunteers and a supportive public.

CUPE believes that the report recommending a not-for-profit organization be established to run the park is inadequate as it superficially deals with serious organization and operation issues facing the park, and makes a recommendation based on a number of unsubstantiated and risky assumptions. A decision based on this report could mean new difficulties for the park and increased problems for city council.

The report has serious implications for the long term viability and sustainability of Assiniboine Park, one of Winnipeg’s more important cultural and economic assets. The report and the recommendation it makrs does not deal with major issues of operations, maintenance, funding and public interest in the park, that should be addressed prior to adopting a new and risky governing structure.

CUPE Local 500 believes that the report contains many faulty assumptions including that a non-profit corporation will lead to an increase in funding for the park, be able to take over operational management of the park, be able to create operational efficiencies that city employees could not, and allow the city to maintain ownership of the park and remain accountable for it.

While the report claims that a new structure would facilitate increased funding from non-governmental sources, there is no evidence to substantiate this claim. In fact, a number of not-for-profit organizations providing public and social services in Manitoba can dramatically attest to the fact that they are under constant pressure to fundraise for their services and it is increasingly difficult to do so.

Similarly, the report does not indicate what a new structure would have that the current structure does not now have to attract funding. CUPE speculates that a new board will be forced to seek funds in other ways that restrict the access and use of the park to Winnipeggers. When the cost of operations is added to the capital development responsibilities of the board, the union predicts that there will be a move to create and increase admission fees, and there will be more pressure to sell off land to condo developers (or take on similar commercial ventures).

CUPE 500 wants to see a more consultative approach where all stakeholders are seriously consulted – including the frontline workers at the park and Winnipeggers who use the park. More details of CUPE 500's response to the Assiniboine Park Governance Study are available in a PDF format report.