Winnipeg development corporation hires former conservative MLA Rochelle Squires
'I'm overwhelmingly excited,' ex-cabinet minister says
A former Progressive Conservative cabinet member member is now the head of Winnipeg's downtown development agency.
CentreVenture Development Corporation has hired Rochelle Squires, who will step into the role of chief executive officer on Thursday.
"I'm overwhelmingly excited," Squires said.
"CentreVenture plays such a crucial role in the revitalization of our downtown, which is something that is incredibly important to not just Winnipeggers, but all of Manitoba to ensure that we've got a healthy, vibrant, safe downtown community."
Squires served seven years as a member of the Legislative Assembly for Riel in several positions including municipal relations minister and families minister, as well as minister of sustainable development.
CentreVenture highlighted Squires's background in housing and municipal affairs, and celebrated her previous experience as a cabinet minister in a Monday news release.
Maxine Kashton, a member of CentreVenture search committee, said in the release that Squire's vision and ability to collaborate will be a driving force in the success of the organization.
CentreVenture Development Corp. is an arms-length agency of the City of Winnipeg established in 1999 which is mandated to plan and develop projects in the city's downtown.
The agency is the developer behind the city's Market Lands project, a nine-storey, 95-unit residential building with an open market and 20,000-square-feet of commercial space.
The $55 million project is currently underway at the site that once housed Winnipeg's police headquarters, at the southern end of the property between King Street and Princess Street, and is expected to be completed by January 2026.
Squires says CentreVenture's mandate is to focus on residential units, including affordable housing as well as market housing.
'We know that there's a housing crunch right now and any new housing that we can bring into the downtown is going to benefit everybody," Squires said. "I'm really happy to be taking over and … moving forward with some exciting goals for the new year."