Public garbage collection defeated
City council has rejected a call to transfer about one-fifth of garbage collection from private contractors to city staff.
Council’s executive policy committee had voted in favour of that change, which some councillors believe would heighten control over garbage collection in and around downtown, to help reduce the risk of arson.
KEN GIGLIOTTI / FREE PRESS FILES
A proposal to make changes to the City of Winnipeg’s garbage collection has been voted down at city council.
However, Mayor Scott Gillingham said his supportive EPC vote was made in error.
“Sometimes, once in a while, we miss the details of the report and we go back and review it. I’ve had a second look at it now and will be voting differently than I did at EPC,” said Gillingham.
The mayor said the change would cost about $10 million more than sticking with a fully contracted out service.
Coun. Brian Mayes, chairman of the water and waste committee, said it was frustrating to see several EPC members approve the proposal before voting against it.
“(There are) all sorts of complaints from inner-city councillors and MLAs about garbage issues… I’d like to do something to try and help with that,” said Mayes.
Mayes said he’s unlikely to raise the matter again.
City to speed up sidewalk snow clearing
Residential sidewalks should be cleared of snow days sooner next winter.
On Thursday, city council voted to require that crews “normally” complete plowing on residential sidewalks within 36 hours after the work begins, instead of the current target of five working days.
The work will be funded through money approved during the 2024 to 2027 multi-year budget.
Louise Bridge rehabilitation plan approved
The city will rehabilitate its 114-year-old Louise Bridge, following age-related deterioration.
“It requires annual closures for reactive repairs and will require significant work by 2030 to remain operational,” a staff report notes.
On Thursday, city council approved a plan to design the project for construction no later than 2030. City officials estimate the work will cost $40 million and extend the life of the bridge by at least 30 years.
Quadricycle rules approved
New city rules for quadricycles – four-wheeled, pedal-powered vehicles – are on the way.
On Thursday, Winnipeg city council voted to make bylaw changes for the vehicles, which would officially allow them to operate in downtown Winnipeg.
Those operating a large quadricycle outside of downtown would be required to submit a planned route to seek approval from the city’s public works director. Additional rules would only permit the vehicles to cross multi-lane streets at intersections with traffic signals or those with “an all-way stop condition.”
The companies would also be required to submit annual reports to the city.
“Pedal pubs” have operated the vehicles since 2022 without formal rules in place.
Staff to negotiate potential city buildings sales to nonprofits
City staff have been given a green light to negotiate the sale of 12 civic buildings to the non-profit tenants who use them.
Some could be sold for as little as $1 each.
Officials may now work out individual deals with tenants who are leasing the properties and have expressed an interest in buying them. Any sales for less than 80 per cent of market value would require individual approvals from the property and development committee.
Newly approved changes will let the City of Winnipeg take over vacant properties sooner and offer deep discounts on lots to attract more affordable housing.
The changes permit lots to be sold for as little as $1 to non-profit housing providers to build affordable housing in any part of the city and give the city’s chief administrative officer the authority to approve land acquisition programs for vacant and/or dilapidated properties.
The second change is meant to speed up the transfer of lots to the city from owners who no longer want them.
Council rejects new development fee study
A councillor’s call to once again study a growth fee has been defeated.
On Thursday, council voted not to act on the idea.
Coun. John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry) asked for a study of the charge for both new and mature neighbourhoods, arguing new builds don’t pay for their demands on city services and infrastructure.
In 2020, a judge ordered the city to stop collecting an impact fee and pay back the roughly $32 million of revenue it had raised, deeming it an “invalid indirect tax.”
joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca
Joyanne Pursaga
Reporter
Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne.
Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.