Province’s action plan aimed at reining in Municipal Board’s scope, power

The province has unveiled a plan to improve land-use planning legislation that gives the Municipal Board power to override decision made by local governments, such as the proposed housing project located on the Granite Curling Club’s parking lot.

“We’re untangling this severe mess that was created by the Tories,” Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard said Friday, referring to amendments made in 2021 and 2022 to the Planning Act and the City of Winnipeg Charter by former premier Brian Pallister’s government.

The changes gave the provincial appointees to the Municipal Board the power to overturn development decisions made by elected officials in Manitoba’s municipalities.

Simard said the amendments “put a broad scope and powers in the Municipal Board’s hands.”

That was evident on Nov. 14, when it quashed a city council-approved plan to build affordable housing adjacent to the curling club on the north side of the Assiniboine River.

The land is owned by the city but is currently being leased by the club for parking.

Proponents of the project to build a 111-unit apartment block with 56 suites classified as affordable — rents below market value — had hoped to see construction begin during the summer. Planned civic staff meetings to work out the parking issue with representatives from the Granite were called off when the matter was referred to the Municipal Board.

The board ruled that an “adequate” parking plan must be in place before the project will be approved.

Simard said change is coming after the province conducted a statutory review of the amended legislation and the board’s scope and powers.

Manitoba’s Land Use Planning Action Plan will guide the work of his department for the next five years and involves collaboration with other departments, municipal organizations and developers.

When the legislature is back in session next year, Simard said the government plans to bring forward a new bill that addresses concerns raised about the Municipal Board and planning decisions.

“We’re working on introducing spring legislation that’s going to make the Municipal Board, rather than a re-litigation body, a review body. I think that’s an important distinction,” Simard said after hearing concerns raised by the Association of Manitoba Municipalities at its fall convention in Winnipeg earlier in the week.

The AMM said in a prepared statement that it welcomes the action plan “and appreciates the government’s commitment to strengthening Manitoba’s planning framework.”

The organization said it’s hoping to be consulted and to help inform the coming legislative changes “that will refine the Manitoba Municipal Board’s scope, enhance municipal autonomy and enable more efficient growth across the province.”

“We’re working on introducing spring legislation that’s going to make the Municipal Board, rather than a re-litigation body, a review body. I think that’s an important distinction.”

The action plan calls for legislative changes to standardize appeal procedures and clarify the role of public objections, and to support the board’s deployment of resources and staffing to effectively manage appeals.

Simard stressed that it was the previous PC government that added the City of Winnipeg to the board’s responsibilities.

“You can imagine what type of administrative burden that put on the Municipal Board,” he said.

The province’s action plan commits to supporting the Municipal Board as an independent, quasi-judicial body and to explore options for digital submissions and publishing its decisions online.

As for the stalled housing project next to the curling club, Simard said “the proponents have to work together on this one.”

Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham was not made available to comment.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca