NDP re-introduces bills to reduce development delays, let municipalities opt out of Winnipeg regional plan

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This article was published 28/11/2024 (677 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The provincial government has re-introduced two pieces of legislation to speed up development by making it tougher for concerned citizens to trigger an appeal of zoning changes to the Manitoba Municipal Board, and to let Winnipeg Metropolitan Region communities go their own way.

Bill 3 — The City of Winnipeg Charter Amendment and Planning Amendment Act proposes to reduce the frequency of delays to local zoning amendments, Municipal Relations Minister Glen Simard said Thursday.

It’s the same bill applauded by municipal leaders when it was introduced Oct. 16, which was too late in the last legislative session for it to pass.

“This bill represents our commitment to speeding up planning approval timelines while making sure that local voices are respected,” Simard said during its first reading in the new session.

It increases to 300 from 25 the number of objectors required for the municipal board to hold a hearing on a zoning bylaw in places with a population of at least 6,000. For a municipality or planning district with a population of fewer than 6,000, at least 100 objectors — or five per cent of the population — would be required to force a hearing.

The bill repeals the provision for the municipal board to hold a hearing when objections to a zoning bylaw affecting a particular parcel of land are received from at least 50 per cent of the land owners within 100 metres from the parcel.

Simard also introduced Bill 4 — the Planning Amendment Act, which would enable a municipality to withdraw from the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region Plan 20-50. An identical bill was introduced too late last session for it to pass.

The former Progressive Conservative government passed legislation that required the plan and created the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region corporation to develop it. Currently, local governments are required by legislation to participate in regional planning.

The proposed Plan 20-50 would guide collaboration among Winnipeg and 17 surrounding municipalities on everything from land use to recreation over the next 30 years, if approved. The region accounts for about two-thirds of Manitoba’s population and its GDP.

Premier Wab Kinew promised in August to introduce legislation that would let Winnipeg Metropolitan Region communities decide whether they will opt in or out of Plan 20-50.

Simard said Thursday that the bill would give municipalities the choice of whether to participate in the capital planning region and “recognizes the importance of the local voices of elected municipal officials to chart the path on planning for the capital region.”

Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham said there’s strength in numbers and collaboration.

“I have consistently said we need a regional approach to economic development if we’re going to be competitive for new industries and new developments,” Gillingham said in a statement Thursday.

“Without it, we will lose investment to regions outside of Manitoba. By collaborating, we can position our region to attract investment, create jobs, and ensure long-term prosperity for all our communities. So, I’m open to working with any of our neighbours who want to get serious about economic development.”

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca