Winnipeg Minute: Garbage Fees, Surplus Properties, and Unpaid Parking Tickets

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

This Week In Winnipeg:

• On Thursday, at 9:30 am, there will be a Council Meeting. Council is considering major rezoning changes under the Housing Accelerator Fund, which would allow fourplexes and four-storey buildings citywide, except in the downtown area. The proposed changes impact 21 local area plans, and only one in-person public information session was initially planned. Councillors Mayes and Wyatt are putting forward a motion requesting public consultations in all 15 Council Wards between April 2nd and May 10th, 2025. Also on the agenda is the reappointment of Sherri Walsh as the City’s Integrity Commissioner for an additional two-year term, and garbage collection fees. (See below!).
  
  
• Winnipeg homeowners could face a sharp increase in garbage collection fees after a proposal to ease the hike was rejected. The Mayor's Executive Policy Committee (EPC) dismissed a motion by Councillor Ross Eadie to phase in the fee increase over 10 years. Instead, they approved an immediate rise in the annual garbage fee from $93 to $254 per home, with a prorated fee of $190.50 for 2025. This fee hike is part of a shift to make garbage collection fully fee-based rather than funded by property taxes. EPC also supported a motion to ask the provincial government for a charter amendment allowing garbage fees to be based on property value. City Council will vote on the increases on March 27th.
  
  
• Winnipeg is making five surplus properties available for sale or lease to encourage affordable housing development. The sites are open to proposals from non-profits, Indigenous organizations, and private developers through the Housing Accelerator Fund’s Land Enhancement Office. Mayor Scott Gillingham emphasized the need for more rental housing, citing rapid population growth and a vacancy rate drop from 5.1% in 2020 to 2.7% in 2023. The properties include locations on Taché Avenue, William Avenue, Osborne Street, Pembina Highway, and Watt Street, each with different sale or lease options. Expressions of interest can be submitted through the City’s website.

Last Week In Winnipeg:

• Winnipeg has begun sending text reminders to individuals with unpaid parking tickets or fines as part of a new approach to collect over $12 million in outstanding fees. These texts, sent by CBV Collection Services, encourage recipients to confirm their authenticity by calling 311. Unpaid fines will soon be reported to credit bureaus, potentially affecting credit scores and making it harder to obtain loans or credit cards. Additionally, the City’s enforcement measures have expanded, with vehicles potentially being impounded or having liens placed on them if there are multiple unpaid tickets.
  
  
• The Manitoba government has moved about a dozen individuals from five downtown Winnipeg encampments into housing as part of a broader strategy to end chronic homelessness. The plan, launched late last year, aims to gradually transition people from temporary shelters into stable housing, with ongoing support from local organizations. A budget of $73.4 million has been allocated to this effort, including funds for transitional housing, renovations, rent subsidies, and wrap-around services to help stabilize individuals. While the plan is progressing faster than expected, challenges remain in finding suitable housing for those with complex needs.
  
  
• The official results of the Transcona byelection confirm a decisive NDP victory, with Shannon Corbett winning the seat previously held by the late Nello Altomare. Corbett secured 3,616 votes, far ahead of her closest rival, Progressive Conservative Shawn Nason, who received 1,569 votes. The riding remains an NDP stronghold, having only elected one non-NDP MLA in over 30 years. Voter turnout was approximately 31%, with 5,630 ballots cast out of 17,962 registered voters.