Mayoral candidate Mazher Alam said a recent water bill prompted him to run for mayor. The St. Vital social worker, one of the 12 candidates who is running to be Winnipeg’s next mayor, said he received a water bill for $1,100, which prompted him to create a petition to try and get bills lowered. “Most of my friends told me that they are huge bills,” Alam said. “One person told me he had $2,000 bills. This is too much.” “People cannot afford it, especially the people who have fixed incomes, so the elderly people and the people who have more kids.” In an interview with CTV News Winnipeg’s Senior News Anchor Maralee Caruso, Alam said affordability is the main focus of his mayoral campaign. He has spoken in favour of freezing property taxes and reversing water bill rate hikes to 2024 levels, which he says will put more money back into Winnipegger’s pockets. “I actually paid $400 before this increase, so I can save $700,” Alam said. “The money they can save — the inflation is everywhere, in groceries and everything — can be spent more on groceries, for their child’s health, or more for their other bills.” When it comes to transit, Alam said he was in favour of giving drivers full shield protection they have been asking for, as well as creating a quick response team for mental health calls. He said the team will be 20 to 25 people in size on different routes. Alam is one of 12 mayoral candidates CTV News will profile in sit-down interviews ahead of the Oct. 28 election. The full interview can be viewed online.
