Winnipeg councillor Brian Mayes is seeking clarification from city administration on funding for the North End Sewage Treatment Plant (NEWPCC) ahead of a Feb. 26 council meeting. The request follows a city report recommending an application to the federal government’s Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF).
The federal government pledged $150 million in its fall economic statement to support Winnipeg’s sewage treatment plant upgrades, but details were not provided until the latest city report. The application is specifically for the bio-solids building, known as Project 2.
Concerns have been raised about the federal funding conditions, which require Indigenous consultation and environmental assessments before construction can begin. However, work on the biosolids project has already started. City staff have confirmed this, noting that an $8 million piping installation contract has been awarded.
Mayes questions whether construction will continue despite federal requirements or if work will pause while waiting for approval. The report acknowledges that the CHIF rezoning conditions will be addressed through a separate vote in June. The city cannot legally commit to a three-year freeze on development charges since council elections are set for 2026.
Mayes has long supported securing federal funding for the sewage plant upgrades but wants more information before voting on the application.
-Winnipeg Sun
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