Federal government commits $10M for ‘critical’ renovations at Women’s Health Clinic in Winnipeg

February 27, 2025 Canuck

The federal government says it will step in to help renovate an aging clinic that provides reproductive and sexual health services in downtown Winnipeg.

Marci Ien, the federal minister for women and gender equality, announced Thursday the government will contribute $10 million for renovations at the Women’s Health Clinic.

Services at the centre — which provides a wide range of services and is one of the province’s largest abortion providers — have been disrupted twice in less than a year because of infrastructure problems.

“I’m surprised we looked this great right now in this room, because it didn’t look like that last week,” Kemlin Nembhard, the clinic’s executive director, said during an event at the facility Thursday, where the government also announced it struck a deal with the province on pharmacare.

Pipes on the first floor burst just over a week ago, leading to a closure at the clinic. The stability of its ceiling has also been compromised, with tiles falling to the ground.

Damage to the air conditioner system forced it to reduce services for two weeks last summer.

“This has been an ongoing challenge for us,” Nembhard said. “We’ve known that we’ve needed to redevelop this space to be able to deliver the programs that we do to so many people every single day that, without us, I don’t know where they would go.”

The federal government said in a release the funding will support “critical upgrades to the clinic’s aging mechanical, electrical and elevator systems,” as well as retrofits that would cut carbon emissions.

The clinic previously put the price range for renovations at around $20 million. Nembhard told CBC News it’s probably closer to $22 million or $23 million now.

Province should come to the table: executive director

The Manitoba NDP had pledged during the last provincial election campaign to provide funding to retrofit the building.

Following the October 2023 election, Premier Wab Kinew directed Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara in a mandate letter to fund “critical renovations” at the clinic.

On Thursday, Asagwara sidestepped a question on what the province would be committing to the facility.

“There’s a lot of work to do, we recognize,” they said at the announcement.

“Certainly, we recognize the valuable service that is provided to … those who need this care here out of the Women’s Health Clinic, and we’re going to continue to support that work.”

Nembhard told CBC News she hopes the province comes to the table sooner rather than later.

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