KLEIN: Homeowners blindsided by Winnipeg’s new four-plex rules

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In November 2023, Winnipeg’s City Council passed a motion to secure federal Housing Accelerator Funds. It was presented as a step towards solving the housing crisis, with a focus on increasing density in certain areas of the city.

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While the motion primarily centred around transforming mall parking lots and major corridors into housing spaces, some on council were uncomfortable with a key element: the federal government’s insistence that four-plexes be allowed on any residential lot in Winnipeg.

Councillor Brian Mayes has been vocal in his concerns pointing out that the original motion, while seeking to unlock federal dollars, included important conditions. Among these were the need for sufficient lot size and the existence of paved roads to allow for multi-unit developments. These were deliberate guardrails aimed at preventing an indiscriminate wave of four-plexes springing up in residential neighbourhoods without regard for their character or infrastructure capacity.

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Yet, despite these conditions, city staff have begun interpreting the Council’s approval as a green light for “up to” four units on any residential lot, regardless of size. This has left many residents feeling blindsided.

Imagine living on Elmwood Drive, with its familiar single-family homes and quiet streets, only to discover that your neighbour’s property has suddenly sprouted a 48-foot-tall tri-plex. And, even worse, you have no recourse to challenge or appeal the decision. That is the reality now facing many Winnipeggers under this new interpretation of the motion.

Mayes has made it clear that this was different from what the Council approved. The motion was meant to be focused and deliberate, with specific conditions in place to prevent exactly this kind of overreach. Mayes said the motion’s details for multi-unit developments were crafted to ensure that densification would be managed, not imposed haphazardly.

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Yet staff are now citing these details as justification to allow duplexes and tri-plexes on 25-foot lots. The person with a 43-foot-wide lot on a street full of such lots might have thought back in November, “This won’t affect me,” but in fact, the city could be re-zoning almost every residential lot in the city in March 2025.

For many, this feels like a betrayal. Residents who thought they were safe from major changes to their neighbourhoods are discovering they are not. And the worst part is, they have no way to challenge these decisions. Mayes himself has expressed frustration, pointing out that this interpretation of the motion clearly contradicts the intent behind it.

The city’s push for densification has echoes of similar battles happening elsewhere. In Calgary, residents are currently fighting their own city hall over a blanket rezoning law that has allowed for the rapid construction of townhouses and row houses in traditionally single-family neighbourhoods. In that case, hundreds of residents have mobilized, taking their fight to the courts in an effort to halt the city’s aggressive rezoning policies. They argue that the law was pushed through without proper consultation and has stripped citizens of their right to have a say in what happens in their own communities.

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Calgary’s situation should serve as a warning to Winnipeg. While the need for more housing is undeniable, a balance must be struck between increasing density and preserving the character of existing neighbourhoods. Imposing blanket policies that allow for multi-unit developments on every residential lot without proper oversight or community input is a recipe for resentment and division.

Mayes has suggested that the current interpretation of the Council’s motion is laying the groundwork for a major battle in March when the issue of four-plexes is expected to come to the fore. He fears that the city’s approach is designed to dig him — and those who share his concerns — a deep hole before any serious discussions even begin.

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There is a growing sense among residents that they need to be included in the decision-making process. In the rush to meet federal demands and secure funding, the city appears to be ignoring the concerns of the very people it is supposed to serve.

This is not a case of residents being opposed to development or change. Rather, it is about ensuring that change happens in a way that respects the existing fabric of the community and gives residents a voice in shaping the future of their neighbourhoods.

The situation in Calgary shows that it is possible to fight back. Residents there are not content with simply venting their frustrations on social media or writing letters to the editor. They have organized, hired lawyers, and taken their case to court, where they are challenging the legality of their city’s rezoning policies. And while legal battles can be slow and expensive, they have already made significant progress, with the court recognizing that their concerns are legitimate and warrant serious consideration.

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Winnipeggers may soon find themselves in a similar position. If the city continues down this path, ignoring the clear intent of the Council’s motion and pushing for widespread densification without proper consultation, residents may have no choice but to follow Calgary’s example and take their fight to the courts.

At the heart of this issue is a simple question: who gets to decide what happens in our neighbourhoods? Is it the residents who live there, raise their families there, and have a stake in the community’s future? Or is it city staff following marching orders from Ottawa, with little regard for the impact on the people who will have to live with the consequences?

This is not just a debate about housing. It is a debate about democracy, about local control, and about the rights of citizens to have a say in the decisions that affect their lives. And it is a debate that Winnipeggers must be prepared to engage in, before it is too late.

— Kevin Klein is a former Tory cabinet minister, a former city councillor and President & CEO of Klein Group Ltd.

Have thoughts on what’s going on in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada or across the world? Send us a letter to the editor at wpgsun.letters@kleinmedia.ca

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