City eyes land expropriation for Transit garage

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This article was published 29/05/2023 (871 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A years-long search for land on which to build a new Winnipeg Transit north garage might soon be over.

City staff are seeking council approval to expropriate land south of Selkirk Avenue and west of Oak Point Highway, which does not have a civic address. It would provide part of the property required for the $200-million garage replacement project, combining with city-owned land near Oak Point Highway and land it will buy at 100 Oak Point Hwy., a public service report says.

The three parcels would provide 27 acres to build upon.

The City of Winnipeg says both of the private properties were listed for sale in 2022, but it couldn’t secure a purchase. The report doesn’t identify the owner.

“Oak Point Highway is a preferred location for the Transit garage due to its access to a major transportation route, proximity to Red River College (Polytech), its commercial/industrial setting, and its direct access to the signalized intersection at Selkirk Avenue… Securing the proposed acquisition is necessary to assemble the development site,” Gord Chappell, acting manager of real estate and land development, writes in the report.

The report notes the project has received provincial and federal funding, which is tied to an expected completion date of March 31, 2027.

The north Transit garage at 1520 Main St. is near the end of its useful life and can’t accommodate zero-emission vehicles or buses that are articulated, have bike racks or are equipped with roof-mounted air conditioners, the city has reported.

The municipal government issued an expression of interest seeking land for the project in 2020 and 2022, but did not receive a suitable response, the report says.

Coun. Jeff Browaty, council’s finance committee chairman, said he expects to support the proposed expropriation.

“It’s always preferable to try and reach a mutually beneficial agreement… But this does give us the certainty that we do have the land that we require to do the work,” said Browaty. “We need a proper transit system. Our current property on Main Street has outlived its usefulness.”

Browaty cautioned the city must still update the project’s price, since a preliminary $200-million estimate has not been adjusted for inflation since at least 2020.

“If there’s been a lot of (cost) escalation, I think we probably would want to go back and revisit with our funding partners to make sure that the contributions reflect our updated costs,” he said.

In an email, Winnipeg Transit spokeswoman Alissa Clark said city officials are still negotiating with the owner of the land that could be expropriated.

“If the city is able to reach a deal with the owner, which is mutually agreeable, we may be able to avoid expropriation,” wrote Clark.

Council is expected to cast the final vote on the matter June 22.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga