Regional plan faces resistance

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This article was published 13/08/2024 (413 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A regional plan meant to help Winnipeg and 17 surrounding municipalities collaborate on everything from land use to recreation over the next 30 years is facing intense backlash from those who fear it will dictate where they go and how they get there.

The plan’s supporters say residents won’t lose any freedoms and the region will gain the ability to better attract new investments.

An Aug. 8 public hearing for Plan 20-50: A Regional Plan for the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region attracted hundreds of attendees to the Niverville Heritage Centre. The crowd exceeded the building’s capacity, resulting in the meeting to be postponed.

“Fears are being fuelled by misinformation and then, (on) social media, it’s travelling like wildfire.”–Jennifer Freeman

St. Andrews resident Michael Vogiatzakis, who runs a funeral home in Winnipeg, said the plan has attracted plenty of opposition. He saids he expects it would spark sweeping changes to daily life, such as shutting down some roads and/or forcing drivers to pay tolls to access others, if given final approval.

“The plan is going to change Winnipeg as we know it. It’s going to take away a lot of our transportation (options),” he said.

Vogiatzakis said he believes the plan would shift the region to a “15-minute city” concept, where a resident can live and meet most of their needs, such as shopping and possibly work, within a 15-minute walk, bike or transit ride.

“If we’re talking 15-minute cities, it’s going to control where you can go, it’s going to control where you can shop … Basically, what they want you to do is stay in a 15-minute area,” he said.

While the plan does repeatedly reference the idea of “complete communities,” it does not specifically outline such changes. Vogiatzakis said his understanding is based on reading “between the lines.”

Two other residents shared similar concerns, while one added she fears land could be expropriated from owners of larger properties to support a goal to increase housing density.

Plan 20-50 does call for municipalities to set higher density housing targets and suggests municipalities could work together on everything from transit routes and firefighting services to wastewater infrastructure and recreation.

The executive director of the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region said fears the plan will dictate how folks live and travel are based on misinformation.

“It’s not about taking away people’s rights and freedoms … It’s not about taking away people’s cars. It’s not about forcing them to take the bus. It’s not about closing off access to roads … Nowhere is it referenced that this is about 15-minute cities. But fears are being fuelled by misinformation and then, (on) social media, it’s travelling like wildfire,” said Jennifer Freeman.

Freeman said the plan does aim to better connect transit, though no details have been finalized.

“The idea of having and establishing a regional plan where we, as municipalities, are working in co-operation is very critical.”–Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham

“No matter where we live, we share the same challenges, we want the same things. We want good jobs, we want to grow old in our communities, we want the water that we drink to be clean, we want our kids to stay here. That is what Plan 20-50 is.”

For example, Freeman said goals to increase housing diversity could help folks stay in their home communities, such as by creating alternatives to single-family homes for those who need to downsize.

“We’re talking about how we could plan communities wisely so people can stay in their communities as they age … It’s not about confining people to any one place,” said Freeman.

She stressed metropolitan regional plans are already in place in many parts of Canada. A lack of coordination has prevented the Winnipeg area from attracting some businesses and some federal funding, she said.

“At its core, this is about attracting investment.”

Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham supports the plan.

“The idea of having and establishing a regional plan where we, as municipalities, are working in co-operation is very critical. It’s critical so that we make good, wise decisions as to how we use our land,” said Gillingham.

“This plan is not about restricting people’s freedoms,” he added.

He said Winnipeggers should read the plan themselves to understand its goals, noting the work is mandated and led by the province.

The planning document suggests “gentle density and compact communities will ensure efficient use of existing infrastructure, preservation of natural areas, and protection of drinking water and agricultural lands” in the future, which would happen in a “subtle, incremental way.”

“When you look at the capital planning region in legislation, it has sweeping powers.”–Selkirk CAO Duane Nicol

Meanwhile, the City of Selkirk has repeatedly asked the province to be excluded from the regional plan over concerns it will take over its authority to make key decisions.

“When you look at the capital planning region in legislation, it has sweeping powers. It is not just limited to land-use planning. It includes municipal servicing and oversight,” said Duane Nicol, Selkirk’s chief administrative officer.

Freeman said the meeting postponed from Aug. 8 has not yet been rescheduled.

A provincial government spokesperson declined comment, referring questions to the planning board.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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Joyanne Pursaga
Reporter

Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne.

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