After 27 years operating from the same Wolseley location, La Parfumerie faces the grim prospect of shutting its doors. City Hall has changed the rules governing small home businesses and has ordered
La Parfumerie to close its doors on November 10.

La Parfumerie is well known in Winnipeg and beyond for creating custom blended natural perfumes.  City Hall’s new rules will prevent us from serving walk-in customers. That will put us out of business.

You can help save La Parfumerie by signing this petition.

Our goal is to show City Council that we have the support of Winnipegers to continue operating out of a home in Wolseley, just as we’ve done for almost three decades.

By signing this petition, I am expressing my support for La Parfumerie. I would like to see Winnipeg’s zoning regulations permit small artisanal home-based businesses to operate responsibly in our city.

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About La Parfumerie

La Parfumerie is a small artisanal business that has been part of our community for more than 30 years. It is a responsible neighbour, a valued local business, and a unique part of Winnipeg. It is exactly the kind of small, sustainable, local business that we should be encouraging. We should not be forcing them to close.

“Plan Winnipeg” and “Winnipeg 2045” identified sustainability as a fundamental principle for our city. A small home-based business like La Parfumerie, built on creativity and craftsmanship, is a wonderful example of what sustainability can look like.

Background Information

In 2015, the City of Winnipeg, Zoning department tried to put La Parfumerie out of business. 

Thankfully the people of Winnipeg had something to say about that.

There was massive community support for La Parfumerie, and after a hearing at City Hall, a subcommittee of city councillors voted unanimously to allow the business to continue operating under a 10-year Conditional Use Order.

The Committee found that the business did not create a substantial adverse effect on the surrounding area and was compatible with the neighbourhood. It also stated:

“There is absolutely no opposition to this application, massive community support. It is seen as a positive impact on the community.”

La Parfumerie was allowed to continue until May 29, 2025.

Surprisingly, in 2016, Winnipeg City Council changed the zoning bylaw to prohibit home based businesses from conducting retail sales.  This was done in spite of the massive public support indicated the previous year for La Parfumerie.  Why?

Now, after more than 30 years of serving Winnipeg, La Parfumerie is once again facing closure.

This makes no sense.

A small artisanal business operating from a home is not the same thing as a large commercial retail operation. La Parfumerie has already demonstrated that it can operate responsibly, with limited hours and conditions designed to protect the neighbourhood.

Why should a business that has been part of Winnipeg for three decades be forced to close simply because the rules have changed?

Winnipeg should be encouraging small, creative, locally based and sustainable businesses, not making it impossible for them to survive.

We hope the City of Winnipeg can find a way to support businesses like La Parfumerie.

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La Parfumerie is in a fight for its survival.  While signing this petition is very helpful, even more valuable is a letter or an email to candidates running for political office.  Politicians generally operate under the rule of thumb that one personal, unique letter represents the unspoken thoughts and feelings of 100 to 1,000 quiet constituents.

The Hierarchy of Constituent Effort

• Handwritten / Deeply Personal Letters: Evaluated as the highest tier. Politicians often treat a completely custom, handwritten note from a resident within their district as carrying the weight of 1,000+ voters. It shows maximum effort and a high likelihood that the writer is an active, vocal voter. 
• Personal Emails / Typed Letters: Taken very seriously, usually credited as representing 100 to 500 voters.

Please take one more step, and contact your City Councillor, Council Candidate, and Mayoral candidates by snail mail, email or phone to indicate that you will only vote (in the October 28 municipal election) for candidates who commit to amending this absurd bylaw.  

Sample letter to candidates running for elected office

I live in the ___________ neighbourhood in Winnipeg, and I am writing to express my support for La Parfumerie which will be put out of business unless the 2016 bylaw prohibiting retail sales at artisanal home based businesses is amended.  I will only vote for candidates for mayor or council who support changes to this anti sustainability bylaw.  I remind you that La Parfumerie has been serving Winnipeg for over 30 years and has become a beloved part of our civic fabric.  Did you know that for most of the past 30 years La Parfumerie has been the only place in Canada offering custom made natural perfumes?  It is my hope that a well written bylaw amendment that supports and encourages artisanal home businesses, will significantly enrich our community.

Council member contact information

Link to contact info for all candidates in October 28, municipal election:
https://www.winnipeg.ca/city-governance/wards-elections/2026-election/information-voters/candidates