As Winnipeg’s mayor and city council vote on whether to re-open Portage and Main to pedestrians, a new Probe Research survey for the Winnipeg Free Press finds a majority of city residents are now in favour of this idea.

Six years after voting No in a civic plebiscite to re-open this long-barricaded intersection to pedestrian traffic, fully six in ten Winnipeggers now strongly or somewhat support the proposal to re-open Portage and Main next summer. Meanwhile, four in ten oppose this idea – including slightly more than one in five who are strongly opposed and a slightly smaller proportion who are somewhat opposed.

More than one-quarter of those who recall voting No in the October 2018 plebiscite have changed their minds and now support opening this intersection, with seven in ten who rejected re-opening in 2018 still opposed to allowing pedestrian traffic at this iconic corner. An overwhelming majority who voted Yes six years ago remain strongly in favour of opening the intersection today.

graph showing proportion of Winnipeg adults who support or oppose re-opening Portage and Main

Majority support for re-opening Portage and Main exists throughout Winnipeg, with support for this idea highest in the Core (72% support). Only in northeast Winnipeg do a higher proportion of citizens oppose re-opening Portage and Main. Even in these neighbourhoods, the results are virtually split  (53% opposed vs. 47% support). Opposition to re-opening is also a bit higher in other outer suburban areas of Winnipeg.

graph showing support for opening Portage and Main by quadrant of Winnipeg

graph showing support for opening Portage and Main by neighbourhood type

About the Probe Research Omnibus

For more than two decades, Probe Research has undertaken quarterly omnibus surveys of random and representative samples of Manitoba adults. These scientific telephone surveys have provided strategic and proprietary insights to hundreds of public, private and not-for-profit clients on a range of social, cultural and public policy topics. The Probe Research Omnibus Survey is the province’s largest and most trusted general population survey.

Disclosure Statement

Probe Research is a member of the Canadian Research Insights Council (CRIC) and confirms that this research fully complies with all CRIC Standards including the CRIC Public Opinion Research Standards and Disclosure Requirements. Learn more at: https://www.canadianresearchinsightscouncil.ca/standards/por/

Methodology

Probe Research surveyed a random and representative sampling of 600 adults residing in Winnipeg between March 5 to 18, 2024.

With a sample of 600, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results are within ± 4.0 percentage points of what they would have been if the entire adult population of Winnipeg had been surveyed. The margin of error is higher within each of the survey’s population sub-groups.​

The sample consists of 279 Winnipeggers randomly recruited via live-agent operator; 176 Winnipeggers randomly recruited via Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and 145 members of Probe Research’s online panel. All respondents completed the survey on an online platform. 

Modified random digit dialing, including both landline and wireless numbers, ensured all Winnipeg adults had an equal opportunity to participate in this Probe Research survey. 

Minor statistical weighting has been applied to this sample to ensure that age and gender characteristics properly reflect known attributes of the city’s population.

The survey instrument was designed by Probe Research in close consultation with the Winnipeg Free Press.