Steinbach City Council · Jan 2022 – Sept 2026 · Election forum topic: Quality of Life
Quality of life: noise, belonging, parks, recreation and arts
How is council handling the quality-of-life issues residents raised: noise, racism and welcoming spaces, access to green space, recreation and arts? What has it done, what hasn't it, and how do other councils compare?
Bottom line
- Noise is handled through police enforcement, not the noise by-law. Council pushed RCMP enforcement on Main Street racing and asked the province for engine-brake signs. The city's noise by-law dates from 2003, has no decibel limits or fine schedule, and hasn't been reviewed.
- Racism and inclusion haven't been on council's agenda. No agenda item, motion or policy on racism appears in 2022–Sept 2026. Newcomer support runs through others: the Chamber's Eastman Immigrant Services and Steinbach Economic Development's immigration pilot. The city's own Community Safety and Well-Being plan names belonging and inclusion as a priority, with timelines “to be determined”.
- Several councillors oppose symbolic gestures. They have spoken against flags, proclamations and diversity criteria at City Hall. Council declined to fly the Ukrainian flag in 2022, and no council member attended the 2026 Pride march.
- Recreation is strong. The city has built the Southeast Event Centre, raised recreation spending to $6.2M in 2026, and has an outdoor pool renewal pending. It has no recreation and culture master plan.
- Green space is ample overall, about 260 acres. Council has closed several small park reserves for housing or roads, always unanimously. The arts council's building is full; its larger grant is approved one year at a time, and there is no plan for a performance venue.
Homelessness is covered in its own report: Homelessness in Steinbach.
Part 1 · The council record
Noise
“I've had a couple of citizens south of Steinbach complaining about engine brake noise. Early mornings, late nights, and just wondering if there's any way we can address that.”
Councillor Bill Hiebert, leading to a request to the province for signs on all four highways (R22-177) · Jul 19, 2022 · 0:18:29
“being a business on Main Street, I've seen a huge reduction in the racing and the revving of cars and just the noise.”
Mayor Earl Funk · Apr 2, 2024 · 0:44:55
“We're often 2, 3, or 4 officers short of the amount that we have requested, and of course that affects the ability to do proper enforcement. … which is obviously very unsafe, and it's a major noise issue, and people want to see more enforcement.”
Councillor Michael Zwaagstra · May 6, 2025 · 1:14:41
Steinbach's Noise Control By-law 1662 (2003) bans “unreasonably loud or unusual” sounds and sets hours for power tools and vehicle repair. It has no decibel limits and no fine schedule (By-law 1662). Council has added a second community safety officer and contracted private security, but no review of the noise by-law came to council in 2022–2026. No provincial reply on the engine-brake signs appears on the record.
Welcoming, racism and inclusion
About 21% of Steinbach residents are immigrants (2021 Census), led by arrivals from the Philippines, Germany, Mexico and India (SteinbachOnline).
“About 28% of our workforce is immigrant-based. Strong immigration helps solve a common rural problem throughout our area, and that is labor shortage.”
Mayor Earl Funk · Apr 21, 2026 · 0:05:11
“I learned that there are over 500 Sikh families in Steinbach, and many were in attendance later in the celebration. … When leaving, a couple of individuals restated that if the city needed volunteers at events, the Sikh community was there to help.”
Councillor Jake Hiebert, opening remarks on the first Sikh celebration in Steinbach · Jul 7, 2026 · 0:00:38
“Be it resolved that the City of Steinbach express its support for the people of Ukraine and that Steinbach City Council hopes for a speedy and peaceful resolution to the current crisis.”
Councillor Michael Zwaagstra, moving R22-058, unanimous · Mar 1, 2022 · 1:08:31
“I get it. I see the desire to have the Ukrainian flag flying, but we're Canadians. This is our Canadian flag. But I want to work hard to save and keep as many people safe as possible.”
Mayor Earl Funk, on a request to fly the Ukrainian flag; he described working with churches and immigrant services to host Ukrainian families instead · Mar 15, 2022 · 0:45:45
What the record doesn't show. A search of all 103 meetings for racism, discrimination, Pride, 2SLGBTQ+, Indigenous relations, reconciliation and land acknowledgements found no agenda item, motion or policy on any of them. Meetings open without a land acknowledgement. The only “discrimination” debate concerned zoning for homeless shelters.
Outside council. In August 2022, residents put up their own flagpoles at City Hall to fly Pride flags after what organizers said was the city's refusal; the city did not comment (CBC). After threats postponed the 2025 Pride march, Deputy Mayor Zwaagstra said: “I will say unequivocally that I oppose any form of violence and any form of threats” (SteinbachOnline). All council members were invited to the September 2026 march, and none attended (SteinbachOnline). In February 2026 an Indigenous organization, Mino Odewin, alleged that an Indigenous student was assaulted and targeted with racist slurs at a Steinbach middle school; the allegations are unverified and the matter falls under the school division (SteinbachOnline).
Green space and parks
“Recreation Services provide our quality of life in our community. We need more active transportation routes, we need more green space, we need more opportunities for people to get out and enjoy our community.”
Councillor Jac Siemens · Apr 2, 2024 · 0:24:54
“I will note that in terms of the amount of green space that's required, there is still more green space than what is actually required by city bylaws, even with this becoming the additional lot.”
Michael Zwaagstra, Deputy Mayor (chairing), closing part of a park reserve so a developer could add a lot · Jan 16, 2024 · 0:36:35
“So this is not necessarily to benefit the City of Steinbach and the people living in it. This is to benefit the developer.”
D.M., resident objecting · Jan 16, 2024 · 0:32:59
“One of the things that wasn't addressed is green space and playgrounds. What are the plans for immediate plans for a playground or how the green spaces are going to be working that hasn't been addressed.”
G.W., resident, at the Williams Creek subdivision hearing (153 lots) · Aug 4, 2026 · 0:31:23
Council closed or realigned park reserves five times in 2022–2026, for a car dealership strip, a road extension, a developer's extra lot and two subdivision realignments, all unanimously. The city has about 260 acres of parks and green space (2026 budget), roughly 12 acres per 1,000 residents (estimate). That is above the new Official Community Plan's neighbourhood and community park standards in aggregate, but no map shows whether every area is within walking distance. The city won federal tree-planting grants in 2025 and 2026, and it has no parks master plan.
Recreation and arts
“Every effort has been made to reduce the cost of the project without reducing the scope, but the reality is the city is still only paying approximately 1/3 of the cost of this facility.”
Councillor Susan Penner, on awarding the Southeast Event Centre at a $61M guaranteed maximum price · Nov 1, 2022 · 1:46:37
“None of these, in my opinion, are on the table to reduce the budgets to because we need to ensure that the quality of life for our individuals is continually getting better”
Councillor Damian Penner, on police, fire, transportation and recreation · Mar 4, 2025 · 0:42:05
“That renewal project has been on the city's long-term capital program in various forms over the past at least 10 to 12 years. It is a challenge to find funding for funding sources that, that will fit recreation projects”
Troy Warkentin, City Manager, on the $3.6M outdoor pool renewal · Sept 16, 2025 · 0:53:24
“I'd be very happy to see them get this money so they can further update that space.”
Councillor Susan Penner, supporting the Steinbach Arts Centre's provincial grant application · Oct 18, 2022 · 1:11:06
“One of the biggest things I never wanted our library to do is to lose our autonomy in this. … it's no for now, but it's not no forever.”
Mayor Earl Funk, ending talks on a regional library · Jan 20, 2026 · 0:16:50
The Steinbach Arts Council's city grant is $185,400 (2026), which covers rent on the city-owned building plus operations. Its operating portion rose from $55,000 to $85,000 for one year only, and a decision on making it permanent is expected in November 2026. The arts council reports record demand, and in its own survey (not a random sample) 92.5% said a performing arts venue is important. The mayor suggested a community or donor group lead planning for a theatre, as was done for the Event Centre (SteinbachOnline). A 2016 plan for a $24.3M performing arts centre lapsed when federal and provincial money did not come.
Their reasons for not doing more
1City Hall shouldn't make symbolic statements
“People won't care how many climate emergency resolutions you pass, how many proclamations you announce, or how many flags you fly at City Hall if they can't turn on their taps and know that clean water is going to come out.”
Councillor Michael Zwaagstra, opening remarks · Nov 19, 2024 · 0:01:29
“I'm proud that we don't spend our time making symbolic climate emergency declarations or issue a different proclamation for a new cause every week or raise multiple flags in front of City Hall.”
Councillor Michael Zwaagstra, final opening remarks · Sept 1, 2026 · 0:04:20
“Nor has it ever attempted to virtue signal by imposing diversity, equity, and inclusion criteria on event participants.”
Councillor Michael Zwaagstra, praising the church-run Pick Up and Walk clean-up · May 2, 2023 · 0:01:49
“often general debate and discussion is readily labeled as uncompassionate, homophobic, racist, and even hate speech at seemingly a moment's blush. … It's not a giant leap to conclude that by hiring under DEI principles, you are working towards a key point in the definition of groupthink.”
Councillor Damian Penner, opening remarks · Oct 1, 2024 · 0:00:30
Whether a city flies flags or issues proclamations is a values choice, and councils differ. Brandon raised the Pride flag at city hall in 2016 (CBC). In Altona, the mayor walked in the town's first Pride parade in 2022 after the flag was raised at the town office (CBC). Steinbach has no written flag or proclamation policy, so each request is decided ad hoc. The city's own wellbeing plan, built on an 827-resident survey, calls for more cultural and 2SLGBTQIA+ supports and cultural-safety training. Most of those actions have no timeline yet (plan).
2Newcomer programs belong to other governments and agencies
“in regards to RCIP, I mean, when the announcement was made, I had not known about it prior to that announcement.”
Councillor Michael Zwaagstra, on the federal Rural Community Immigration Pilot run by Steinbach Economic Development · Mar 18, 2025 · 1:19:41
“Okay, so usually that's how they call it, pilot project, and then all of a sudden, it's great for the community, you get involved, and before you know it, you're funding it 100%.”
Mayor Earl Funk · Mar 18, 2025 · 1:22:05
Eastman Immigrant Services, run by the Steinbach Chamber of Commerce, is federally funded: about $2.6 million for 2025–28 (Government of Canada). In August 2025 council ended its $65,000-a-year grant to Steinbach Economic Development, which runs the immigration pilot, citing a lack of results. Morden runs its own immigration initiative, choosing about 50 families a year since 2012 with about 80% staying in the area (PembinaValleyOnline).
3The budget is fixed, and infrastructure comes first
“Yeah, because the challenge is once we do set budget, our budget is fixed.”
Mayor Earl Funk, on a request for about $70,000 toward floodlights at A.D. Penner Park · May 6, 2025 · 0:34:56
“we have so much pressure for all these other projects, you know, that people want us to do or things we could do. But at the end of the day, infrastructure is what we should be doing.”
Councillor Susan Penner · Mar 17, 2026 · 0:44:14
4Housing can outweigh green space
“It is difficult, and I like green spaces, especially in areas that don't have, but The overriding principle for me here is what's good for Steinbach and our senior housing list.”
Councillor Jac Siemens, on seniors' housing at 185 Friesen Ave on land neighbours used as green space · Jun 2, 2026 · 0:47:45
Part 2 · How Steinbach compares
Scorecard
How Steinbach compares with other councils on the quality-of-life issues residents raised.
Strong ahead of or matching good practice On par typical practice Partial started, with gaps Gap common elsewhere, not done here
| Measure | Steinbach | What others do | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noise rules and enforcement | 2003 by-law with no decibel limits or fine schedule; enforcement through RCMP traffic blitzes and two community safety officers. | Many cities have modernized noise by-laws with fine schedules and set quiet hours; some set vehicle decibel limits. | Partial |
| Welcoming newcomers | Through the Chamber's federally funded immigrant services and the economic development office's immigration pilot; city funding for the latter ended 2025. | Morden runs its own immigration initiative; Brandon has a Local Immigration Partnership plan. | Partial |
| Anti-racism and inclusion | No council item or policy 2022–2026; the wellbeing plan's inclusion goals have no timelines. | A few Prairie cities, such as Lethbridge, have anti-racism or reconciliation plans; most small Manitoba cities do not. | Partial |
| Written flag and proclamation policy | None; requests decided case by case. | Many cities adopt a written policy either way: government flags only, or a courtesy-flag process. | Gap |
| Green space | About 260 acres, roughly 12 acres per 1,000 residents; new park standards in the Official Community Plan; tree grants. | Comparable to or above typical standards. | On par |
| Recreation facilities | Event Centre, pool renewal pending, recreation spending $6.2M (2026). | Niverville built a $19.5M multiplex with an arena and performing arts centre. | Strong |
| Recreation and culture master plan | Promised in 2019; none adopted. | Brandon adopted a 20-year recreation master plan in 2019. | Gap |
| Arts space | Arts council grant of $185,400 (operating top-up approved for one year only); no venue plan. | Niverville's multiplex includes a performing arts centre; Winkler has supported a new arts and culture building. | Partial |
Key findings
1The city's own plan says inclusion is a priority; council hasn't acted on it
The Community Safety and Well-Being plan, finished in March 2026, lists “community belonging and inclusion” among seven priorities. It found experiences of discrimination and a need for safe spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ and Indigenous residents. Its actions have no timelines, and council has not discussed them on the record. The plan is the city's own document, so acting on it doesn't require taking a position on flags.
2Noise rules are two decades old
Complaints about racing and loud vehicles come up often, and council has relied on police blitzes. A by-law review could add a fine schedule and clearer quiet hours. Publishing complaint and enforcement counts would let residents see whether the blitzes are working.
3Big facilities, but no plan for what comes next
The Event Centre and pool show council will invest in recreation, but there is no master plan setting priorities among the arts venue, sports fields, floodlights, parks and programs. Requests are referred to unrecorded budget study sessions one at a time, and their outcomes often aren't reported publicly.
What “doing all it can” would add
- Update the 2003 noise by-law with a fine schedule and clear quiet hours, and publish complaint and enforcement numbers.
- Give the wellbeing plan's belonging and inclusion goals owners and timelines, and use the provincial implementation money (about $60,000) to start them.
- Adopt a written flag and proclamation policy either way (government flags only, or a courtesy-flag process) so requests are decided by rule rather than case by case.
- Formalize the city's role with newcomer services, for example co-hosted welcome events, and decide who carries the immigration pilot now that city funding has ended.
- Adopt a recreation and culture master plan, including whether and how to pursue a performing arts venue, and decide the arts council's operating grant for more than one year at a time.
- Map park access against the new Official Community Plan's walking-distance standards, and report public reserve land taken and given up each year.
- Repeat the wellbeing survey on a fixed cycle and publish the results on belonging, discrimination and life satisfaction.
About this page
- Transcripts. Meeting quotes come from automatic transcripts of the official videos. The transcription often misspells the city's name; quotes show it correctly as Steinbach. Other words are left as transcribed. Each quote links to its moment in the video.
- Transcription errors. The transcription sometimes renders “Steinbach” as “Islamic”; no meeting item concerned Islam.
- Speakers. Every quote is from a speaker identified with high confidence. Council members and city staff are named; residents and representatives of community groups are identified by initials.
- Absence of discussion. Statements that a topic never came to council are based on searching all 103 regular meetings (January 2022 – September 15, 2026). Committee and budget study sessions are not recorded.
- Sensitive topics. Quotes are reproduced exactly and in context; this page does not characterize anyone's views. Allegations reported in the news are labelled as such.
- Estimates. Green space per resident is an estimate from the budget's 260-acre figure and a population of about 21,700.
Sources
Council meetings (official YouTube recordings): Mar 1, 2022 · Mar 15, 2022 · Jul 19, 2022 · Oct 18, 2022 · Nov 1, 2022 · May 2, 2023 · Jan 16, 2024 · Apr 2, 2024 · Oct 1, 2024 · Nov 19, 2024 · Mar 4, 2025 · Mar 18, 2025 · May 6, 2025 · Sept 16, 2025 · Jan 20, 2026 · Mar 17, 2026 · Apr 21, 2026 · Jun 2, 2026 · Jul 7, 2026 · Aug 4, 2026 · Sept 1, 2026
- Noise Control By-law 1662; Community Safety and Well-Being Plan (2026); 2026 Financial Plan; Official Community Plan
- SteinbachOnline: 2021 Census immigration; Leaders condemn threats (2025); Pride march 2026; School allegations (2026); Arts council grant request; Community safety officers
- CBC: Flag-raising demonstration (2022); Indigenous perspective on the wellbeing plan (2026); Altona Pride (2022); Niverville multiplex
- Eastman Immigrant Services federal funding; Morden immigration initiative