City hall deals with raft of issues at last meeting of 2025

Fines for drivers who don’t report human trafficking

Those who drive taxis or vehicles for ride-hailing services could be fined $1,000 if they fail to report suspicions that their passengers are victims of human trafficking or sexual exploitation.

A change to the vehicle-for-hire bylaw will create the fine, in hopes of ensuring more exploitation is reported to police.

While staff originally proposed a $500 fine, the public works committee doubled the penalty, which council approved Thursday.

Coun. Mayes to join police board

The city councillor for St. Vital will become a member of the Winnipeg Police Board.

On Thursday, city council voted to approve the nomination of Brian Mayes to the role. Council also voted to appoint citizen member Colleen Mayer to serve as chairwoman of the board and Coun. Evan Duncan (Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood) to become its vice-chairman.

The chairperson role became vacant once Coun. Markus Chambers (St. Norbert-Seine River) resigned in October.

Senior city staff gain power over projects

City council has approved changes to the oversight of Winnipeg’s most expensive infrastructure project, the $3.092-billion upgrade to the North End sewage treatment plant.

On Thursday, a final city council vote gave the city’s chief administrative officer the power to award contracts worth up to $50 million for the treatment plant upgrade and permit the chief financial officer to award those up to $35 million.

The CAO would also be given authority to approve contract overruns for the treatment plant upgrade, when they don’t exceed the project’s overall council-approved budget, a power that could also be delegated to the chief financial officer.

Fee breaks for faster demo of vacant buildings

Two new programs will reduce fees charged to vacant building owners who actively work to fix or demolish their properties.

Following a final city council vote Thursday, a vacant building exemption program will allow a property owner to be exempt from the vacant buildings bylaw, including its fees, though all other city bylaws and enforcement measures would still apply.

To be eligible, the owner must have an active development permit to fix or demolish the property and secure all required building permits.

A separate renovation fee waiver program would eliminate charges up to a maximum amount based on each project. That amount would match the value of recent municipal grants awarded to support the project and/or the cost of construction permits.

The programs will take effect July 1.

City moves to seize vacant homes sooner

The city will take steps to seized abandoned homes sooner and charge higher fees the longer properties are left empty.

On Thursday, city council approved new measures to crack down on vacant and derelict properties.

One key step will reduce the time required for the city to seize homes with unpaid taxes.

Empty building fees will also increase. The current flat rate of two per cent of a property’s value is charged once a property has been vacant for three years. The new model would charge one per cent of the property’s value after one year of vacancy and rise by an additional one per cent of the property’s value each year, up to a maximum of five per cent.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca