The City of Winnipeg is pushing forward with a controversial plan to rezone neighbourhoods for four-plexes, but Mayor Scott Gillingham’s administration is keeping critical details under wraps.
The Winnipeg Sun has learned that a closed-door meeting was held on Monday with city councillors, where they were briefed on the four-plex rezoning plan. Attendees were required to keep the information confidential, preventing them from discussing many of the specifics with the public. The Sun notes this is an increasingly common practice at City Hall.
Public consultations on the change to neighbourhoods have been severely limited. There will be just one in-person town hall on March 19 at the Winnipeg Convention Centre and three online sessions on March 17 and 18. Industry groups will be given access to the full proposal the week of March 10, while the public will not see it until March 17 — just one day before consultations begin.
“The four-plex plan will also require additional amendments to 21 different local area plans — ranging from new areas like Waverley West to more central areas like Corydon. However, there are no public meetings scheduled in any of the 21 affected neighbourhoods,” said Mayes
One source told The Sun that the city’s push for four-plex rezoning is not about housing but about securing federal money. Winnipeg already exceeded its three-year target of 1,026 new “missing middle” units in just 13 months, proving that zoning changes are unnecessary in meeting housing demands. However, this rezoning is an attempt for more federal housing funds that are not available until 2026 and not guaranteed under a new Liberal leader or if the government changes after the next federal election.
Mayes told The Sun he continues to have an open mind and looks forward to the hearing.
-Winnipeg Sun
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