Winnipeg council votes to rename Bishop Grandin roadways

Council votes on Bishop Grandin, Portage Place Winnipeg city council has voted on renaming Bishop Grandin and the potential sale of Portage Place. Danton Unger has the details.

Winnipeg's city council has voted unanimously in favour of renaming several roadways currently named after a bishop remembered as one of the architects of the residential school system.

During Thursday's council meeting, councillors voted to endorse the renaming of Bishop Grandin Boulevard to Abinojii Mikanah.

Abinojii Mikanah translates to Children's Road in Ojibway and Cree.

"In my view, if we are going to be serious about reconciliation, then we have to take some steps at times that maybe seem to be disruptive and a big change to many people within our community," Mayor Scott Gillingham told reporters Thursday.

Along with the boulevard, council voted to rename Bishop Grandin Trail to Awasisak Mēskanow, and endorse the renaming of Grandin Street to Taapweewin Way.

The roadways are named after Vital-Justin Grandin, a Roman Catholic priest and bishop. A report to the city says the bishop's legacy has recently been reconsidered, saying it was determined Grandin had been leading the campaign for residential schools.

The new names were picked by an Indigenous knowledge naming circle which included elders, residential school survivors and knowledge keepers.

As for when Winnipeggers will see the name changes take effect, it may be a while yet.

Council has directed the public service to report back on how much the renaming of Bishop Grandin Boulevard and Grandin Street will cost. Once that estimate is determined, it will be referred to the next budget review process.

"I don't know when that report will come, but now that we have approved the name change, those steps can proceed," Gillingham said.

-With files from CTV News' Jeff Keele