Councillors request information, ideas on protecting low-income households from expected water, sewer rate hikes

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This article was published 24/02/2025 (194 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The City of Winnipeg could soon explore ways to soften the blow of what many expect will be a substantial water and sewer rate hike.

On Monday, the city centre community committee voted to direct city staff to report on the impact of the potential rate hike on low-income households and provide options to expand affordability programs.

The report, which would be due back in one month, also calls for strategies to prevent rents from being increased to cover higher utility bills, such as incentives for landlords to maintain affordable fees or provide energy-efficient upgrades.

City council is widely expected to consider significant rate hikes in March to help pay for a multibillion-dollar upgrade to the North End sewage treatment plant.

“This could impact many, many people who are struggling with affordability issues in the city.”– Coun. Sherri Rollins

Coun. Sherri Rollins said she raised the new motion to prevent that hefty tab from undermining the city’s goal to increase the local supply of affordable homes.

“We know that every apartment building has just had an almost six per cent (property) tax increase and we know that property owners sometimes own more than one building. That’s potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars (in fees) and they’re anticipating (higher) utility rates,” said Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry).

She said that could lead property owners to seek rent increases to cover the cost.

The councillor said she remains concerned the city has yet to share the rate hikes publicly, even though she believes a report on them was ready in December.

“This could impact many, many people who are struggling with affordability issues in the city,” said Rollins.

The city centre committee also approved a motion to have city staff report in two months on how the rate hike would affect businesses, especially those in “water-intensive sectors,” with options for potential rate adjustments, discounts or targeted subsidies.

Rollins, who also raised that motion, said funding the sewage treatment plant upgrade is a “necessity” for the city.

“At the moment, unless we get money from other levels (of government to help) the water bill payers are going to be paying for it.”– Coun. Ross Eadie

The three-phase upgrade has an official cost estimate of $2.38-billion, though city staff warned last year that would likely rise to about $3 billion.

The water and waste committee is expected to vote on both new motions in March.

Coun. Ross Eadie, the committee’s chairman, said he expects the new water and sewer rates to be revealed publicly on March 4 before the committee meets on March 10.

Eadie (Mynarski) said it’s fair for the public to expect a notable proposed rate hike.

“We’re talking… billions of dollars for the North End upgrade. At the moment, unless we get money from other levels (of government to help) the water bill payers are going to be paying for it,” he said. “So, we’re talking large increases.”

Eadie said the city centre motions have tight timelines and complex implications, so he’s not immediately sure if he would vote in favour of them.

“We are trying to make the future… sustainable for people who don’t have (high) incomes.”– Coun. Ross Eadie

The councillor said he is working with Mayor Scott Gillingham on a separate affordability measure for utility ratepayers.

“We are trying to make the future… sustainable for people who don’t have (high) incomes,” said Eadie.

The councillor did not share details of that effort.

Gillingham was not available for an interview Monday, but in a brief statement said he expects a thorough council discussion on the impact to ratepayers when the rate report is completed.

“My focus remains on getting the new plant built while keeping water/sewer rates affordable for all Winnipeggers,” he said.

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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