Winnipeg Minute: Community Committees, Housing Construction, and the Retail Theft Crackdown

Winnipeg Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Winnipeg politics

This Week In Winnipeg:

• Today, at 9:30 am, there will be a meeting of the City Centre Community Committee. The Lord Selkirk - West Kildonan Community Committee, originally scheduled for today at 9:30 am, will now take place on November 27th, 2024. The Assiniboia Community Committee, originally scheduled for Tuesday, will now take place on November 26th.
  
  
• On Tuesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a Special Meeting of Council. The agenda includes a discussion about amendments to the Winnipeg Zoning By-law to allow residential development on select malls and corridor sites. The Winnipeg Committee for Safety will meet on Wednesday at 5:00 pm. The Committee will discuss its 2025 Operating Budget and the 2025 Workplan.
  
  
• There will be a meeting of City Council on Thursday at 9:30 am. The agenda includes the Primary Transit Network Communications and Promotional Plan, the Journey of Reconciliation 2024 Annual Report, and negotiations with the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg, among several other items. On Friday, at 9:30 am, the Standing Policy Committee of Water, Waste and Environment will meet. No agenda is available for this meeting yet.

Last Week In Winnipeg:

• Transcona Councillor Russ Wyatt has refused to apologize after an Integrity Commissioner’s report found that he violated the City of Winnipeg's code of conduct with offensive comments about former Chief Administrative Officer Michael Jack. The report stated that Wyatt’s remarks, which included calling for Jack's firing and criticizing senior management, were disrespectful and amounted to harassment. Wyatt, who stands by his comments, claims he was advocating for greater accountability and transparency at City Hall. Despite the report's recommendation for an apology, Wyatt argues that public officials should be able to speak freely without fear of reprisal. The matter now awaits potential sanctions by Council.
  
  
• At the Manitoba Home Builders' Association’s annual meeting, Premier Wab Kinew and Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham outlined plans to accelerate housing construction in the city. Kinew focused on addressing delays in connecting new homes to the electrical grid, aiming to expedite the Hydro hookup process. Meanwhile, Gillingham announced the City would hire a consultant to review its development processes, including permit applications and inter-departmental coordination, with the goal of reducing bottlenecks. This review, expected to be completed by November 2025, is part of a broader effort to meet the City's target of building over 14,000 housing units in the next three years to qualify for federal funding.
  
  
• Manitoba Justice Minister Matt Wiebe announced that a retail crime crackdown initiative, which has been temporarily implemented, will now become a permanent part of Winnipeg policing. This move was unexpected by City officials and comes as Mayor Scott Gillingham seeks more provincial funding for policing. The Province is earmarking $1.1 million to pay for overtime for officers in retail hotspots, and plans to hire 12 new officers for the initiative. The Retail Council of Canada expressed support for the effort, while City Council members, including Winnipeg Police Board Chair Markus Chambers, are concerned about the sustainability of the funding and its potential impact on other policing needs.