Cabinet gives city green light to expropriate land for Waverley underpass

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This article was published 09/08/2016 (3692 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Brian Pallister’s cabinet has issued an order authorizing the city to proceed with the expropriation of parts of 11 properties for the Waverley underpass.

In a decision made public Tuesday morning, cabinet decided on July 27 to keep project on schedule and forgo a hearing to expropriate the lands.

“Representatives of The City of Winnipeg have met with all affected land owners to address concerns and will negotiate due compensation for their property,” the cabinet’s decision reads.

“In order to complete land acquisitions in sufficient time to preserve project timelines necessary to commence construction of the Waverley Street at CN Mainline Grade Separation (underpass) Project in early 2017, it is necessary and in the public interest to direct the confirming authority to make an order confirming the Declaration of Expropriation without an inquiry being conducted under The Expropriation Act.”

The Waverley underpass is a $155-million project that will include the construction of a roadway underneath the CN Rail line that crosses Waverley, the reconstruction of Waverley between Taylor Avenue and Wilkes Avenue/Hurst Way, and the twinning of Taylor between Waverley Street and Lindsay Street.

Construction work is expected to start in January 2017, with completion by October 2019.

Officials at city hall have said all private property owners have been contacted and the city hopes to acquire all properties through negotiation. But, failing that, expropriation will give the city title to the land. In the expropriation process, compensation is determined by an independent panel.

The city asked the province to waive the need for an expropriation inquiry, in which each expropriation has to be justified before an inquiry officer.

The largest parcels of land are being expropriated from the Reh-fit Centre, a total of 20,808 square feet, which will be used for road widening.