Marathon Winnipeg council hearing on zoning changes could last days, councillor says

Cameron MacLean · CBC News

· Posted: May 27, 2025 6:47 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hr ago

A proceeding astatine Winnipeg metropolis assembly adjacent week could beryllium the past accidental for Winnipeggers who privation input connected caller rules that are intended to velocity up lodging operation and would allow buildings with up to 4 units on lodging tons crossed the city.

The hearing, acceptable to commencement connected Monday, is portion of changes the City of Winnipeg agreed to marque successful 2023 successful speech for $122.4 cardinal from the national government's lodging accelerator fund.

To qualify, the metropolis agreed to alteration its bylaws. It besides indispensable o.k. gathering permits for 14,000 units by adjacent year.

Part of that includes allowing as-of-right operation of buildings with up to 4 units anyplace successful the city, and allowing for buildings wrong 800 metres of predominant transit that are up to 4 storeys, without the request for a nationalist hearing.

Mayor Scott Gillingham has said the changes volition pb to much affordable lodging successful Winnipeg, but critics reason the metropolis is giving up the close of residents to dependable their concerns astir developments successful their neighbourhood. 

Aaron Moore, a governmental subject prof astatine the University of Winnipeg, said helium expects astir of the radical who travel retired to Monday's proceeding volition beryllium opposed to the changes, though helium questions however galore radical cognize that the changes are happening, oregon what effect the changes whitethorn have.

"I don't cognize that this abruptly changes the economical consciousness for the improvement industry, conscionable due to the fact that it benignant of eases the process for them a bit," said Moore.

He said determination are different factors holding backmost construction, like the outgo of materials and labour shortages, but the national wealth could besides assistance wage for infrastructure — thing the metropolis desperately needs.

"The metropolis is successful a very, precise atrocious fiscal situation. The politician knows that, and this is immoderate needed funds to assistance woody with that infrastructure contented we have," said Moore.

A study connected the city's website says 1,000 radical person participated successful unfastened houses and virtual sessions connected the zoning changes, with mixed feedback from residents. Some support the changes, portion others raised concerns astir traffic, parking, infrastructure, and neighbourhood impacts, the study said.

"If approved, these changes tin assistance Winnipeg turn successful a much sustainable, inclusive, and affordable way," James Veitch, the city's manager of municipality readying and design, wrote successful the report.

Kelly Ryback, a St. James nonmigratory who often appears astatine improvement hearings and has antecedently tally for metropolis council, says helium plans to be adjacent Monday's hearing.

He worries the caller rules will let gangly buildings to beryllium built excessively adjacent to sidewalks oregon to smaller properties.

"Today, I bargain a location and my neighbour has a bungalow, and 2 years later, a three-storey triplex goes up, past that changes what I bought, and I'm going to beryllium impacted by that," helium said.

The proceeding was expected to hap successful March, but councillors pushed it backmost to let for much nationalist consultation.

St. Vital Coun. Brian Mayes says helium has heard concerns astir the caller zoning program from galore radical successful his ward.

"Hard to cognize if it'll beryllium 100 radical successful delegation oregon 200" astatine Monday's hearing, helium said.

A proceeding past November connected zoning changes astir buying malls and commercialized corridors lasted past midnight, earlier councillors adjourned to different day.

"We're expecting a batch much radical to travel and speech connected this 1 than connected malls and corridors," said Mayes. "And of course, councillors tin inquire questions. So this could agelong retired implicit respective days."