Council approves compromise on bird-friendly building rules

A call to delete building requirements that help prevent birds from fatally colliding with windows triggered hundreds of calls to stop the change, before city council approved a compromise.

More than 600 written submissions opposed a city staff recommendation to eliminate bird-friendly window requirements for certain developments within mall and major transportation corridor sites.

City planning officials said developers consider the rules a barrier to getting more homes built.

However, opponents fear removing them would put birds at greater risk.

Council ultimately voted to impose less-detailed guidelines.

“We tried to establish a bit of a win-win here, where we can get malls and corridors developed, get development on those spots, while at the same time protecting the birds,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham.

The rules aim to ensure certain windows break up reflection, which helps birds recognize window glass as a solid object. This can be done by adding patterned films, decals, glazes or coatings.

The city bylaw initially required that buildings in the affected area be designed with exterior window treatments for glass up to 16 metres (52 feet) above ground, or to the top of the mature tree canopy, whichever is higher. The treatments would be required to withstand “exposure to the elements and window cleaning,” with visual markers that contrast the transparent or reflective glass surface.

Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West) moved a successful change that instead requires unspecified bird-friendly window treatments up to 16 metres above ground. The detailed design must now only meet “the satisfaction of the (planning, property and development) director.”

During the hearing, a city planner told council members zero requests have been filed for this specific type of development application, which city council approved in late 2024. That’s despite the fact the option was designed to streamline certain residential construction projects by removing the need for zoning and variance applications or public hearings.

“The public service is bringing forward… amendments to address the common development barriers,” said James Veitch, the city’s manager of urban planning and design.

Veitch noted the bird-friendly rules were added as an “11th-hour” amendment by city council, without time for staff to review them.

The call to delete the bird-protection guidelines triggered an onslaught of opposition via written statements, emails and phone calls in recent months.

One councillor noted he has not seen any other topic attract so many objections in 14 years.

“The feedback on this seems to dwarf all of our other zoning changes,” said St. Vital councillor Brian Mayes.

A supporter of the original bird-friendly guidelines said they would have a major environmental impact, since window strikes kill more than 16 million birds in Canada each year.

“If we don’t make this a priority, millions of birds could be dying each year in Winnipeg, which is a significant number… If they delete this, then it’s a step backwards for birds,” Alison Conrad, a co-founder of the group Bird Friendly Winnipeg, said in an interview.

“The science and research shows that these (requirements) are very effective as long as they’re done correctly… and they will reduce bird collisions.”

Conrad said she’s concerned the compromise may not offer as much protection.

“It needs to be rigid to actually work and to prevent bird collisions. I worry if you introduce flexibility, we’re actually not going to reduce bird collisions,” she said.

A developers’ organization said implementing bird-protection rules as the city originally set out has proven difficult in other Canadian cities.

“(The) specialized glass that has to be used… can double the cost of the glass used in those windows and it is not something that is manufactured or sourced locally and, for the most part, has to be imported from the United States,” said Lanny McInnes, executive director of the Urban Development Institute of Manitoba.

Prior to the vote, McInnes said his organization’s first choice was to see the city eliminate the guidelines. If that didn’t happen, he suggested the compromise that council later approved.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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