Around city hall

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This article was published 22/11/2024 (498 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Council to review multi-million transfers from water and waste

The City of Winnipeg will review its controversial practice of draining millions of dollars each year from water and waste revenues to boost its general bottom line.

The practice has sparked criticism for years, since the utility needs billions of dollars to complete sewage treatment upgrades that it is struggling to fund.

On Thursday, council approved a motion from Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) to review the dividend as part of an upcoming report on water and sewer rates, which is expected within the next 90 days.

Park needle cleanups to be considered in budget talks

After city committees didn’t act on options to ramp up the removal of needles and weapons dumped at parks, the matter looks set for a second look.

At Thursday’s council meeting, Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre) raised a successful motion to have the options to add cleaning at 36 “priority parks” referred to the 2025 budget process.

A city report laid out two options for the work. An April to October option would cost $193,704 per year, while a year-round proposal was expected to cost $262,884.

The report follows complaints the dangerous debris makes it tough for kids to play outside some daycares.

Councillor refuses to apologize following conduct report

Coun. Russ Wyatt has formally refused to apologize after an integrity commissioner found he made comments that amounted to harassment.

Wyatt said he’s also now exploring legal options to challenge the finding itself and declined to answer councillor’s questions Thursday, citing legal advice.

City of Edmonton ethics commissioner Jamie Pytel investigated a complaint that Winnipeg’s former chief administrative officer Michael Jack filed over comments the Transcona councillor made in an August media report. She found the comments were “offensive, disrespectful, threatening and amount to harassment.”

Wyatt’s remarks followed a judge’s ruling that two city officials deliberately stalled the major Fulton Grove housing development on the former Parker Lands. The judge ordered the city to pay $5 million in damages.

The councillor criticized Jack for not firing a staff member named in the judgment and suggested Jack himself be replaced.

Pytel recommended council call on Wyatt to publicly apologize. If the councillor rejected such a request, she suggested Wyatt be publicly reprimanded.

On Thursday, council opted to consider a sanction in December, after Wyatt recused himself from the vote.

Motion calls for new dumping surveillance program

Two city councillors are calling for video surveillance to become a permanent program to help catch illegal dumping suspects.

A new motion from Coun. Ross Eadie (Mynarski), seconded by Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre) calls for a renewed video camera enforcement program to help combat garbage dumping, primarily in the inner city.

The city tested a pilot surveillance video program years ago, the motion notes.

Mall zoning changes approved with added affordable housing component

After a lengthy debate, city council approved zoning changes meant to streamline housing development at malls and along transportation corridors with an added affordable housing requirement.

On Thursday, council approved an amendment that will require all projects at those sites with more than 300 units to set affordable rents for at least 10 per cent of the homes built. To qualify, rents must either be less than 80 per cent of the median market rate or match a provincial affordable housing rate.

The new zoning rules will make multi-family housing developments a permitted use in some areas, removing the need for developers to complete potentially time-consuming zoning or variance applications and public hearings to get their projects approved.

The changes would apply to new housing at select mall and corridor sites.

Natural gas study defeated

Council’s water and waste committee has rejected a call to study how to phase out natural gas heat at all Winnipeg buildings and replace it with greener alternatives.

Winnipeg’s council-endorsed Community Energy Investment Roadmap calls for the city to shift from natural gas and gasoline to electricity and reach zero natural gas use before 2050.

Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) argued the study would help work toward that goal.

Council’s water and waste committee voted against doing so on Friday.