Winnipeg Votes 2026: Tyler Andersen Says Winnipeg Needs Lower Costs, Better Transit and Stronger Public Investment
North Kildonan City Council candidate Tyler Andersen says many Winnipeg residents are feeling squeezed, and he’s hearing the same concerns again and again while campaigning across the ward.
Speaking with Graham McDonald on Winnipeg Votes 2026 on the U Multicultural Channel, Andersen described rising living costs as one of the biggest challenges facing local families.
“People are saying that the rent is going up, the food cost is going up, everything is going up,” Andersen said. “Things are just getting out of control.”
An information technology professional and labour advocate, Andersen argues that Winnipeg has spent years falling behind on infrastructure, public services and transit investment.
“In the last 20 years we’ve seen our infrastructure degrade,” he said. “We’ve seen a lot of services that we used to rely on get worse and worse.”
His concerns are personal as well as political. During June’s heavy rainfall, Andersen experienced a sewer backup in his own home.
“I myself had my sewage coming up in my basement,” he said while discussing aging infrastructure in North Kildonan. He warned that delaying upgrades to sewer systems ultimately costs homeowners more through repairs and rising insurance premiums.
Public transit remains one of his top priorities. Andersen believes stronger investment in buses can reduce congestion, improve mobility and make Winnipeg more attractive for residents and visitors alike.
“I have a core belief when it comes to any society,” he said. “A society should be judged not by the poor who own cars but by the rich who use public transit.”
Among his more ambitious proposals is support for municipally owned grocery stores, which he argues could help reduce food costs for struggling households. He also supports publicly delivered services, stronger climate action, expanded support for harm reduction initiatives and a greater municipal role in affordable housing solutions.
Throughout the interview, Andersen repeatedly returned to a common theme: city government should focus on improving everyday life.
“We should do what every city should be doing and helping out people in any fashion possible,” he said.
Disclaimer: As part of U Multicultural’s 2026 Winnipeg Municipal Election Coverage, candidates were invited to share messages with our audience. The views expressed in this article are the candidate’s own, and this article does not constitute an endorsement by U Multicultural.
Yuliia Kovalenko, U Multicultural Journalism