EXCLUSIVE: Housing developer asks province to step in due to City of Winnipeg delays

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The City of Winnipeg is once again under the spotlight for its recurring delays in handling development applications.

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The latest victim of this inefficiency is the Lemay Forest development, which has faced significant setbacks due to administrative hurdles, councillor involvement, and a lack of urgency within the city’s planning departments.

The pre-application for the Lemay Forest development was submitted on Aug. 4, 2023. However, it languished; a process which should have taken eight weeks was stretched to a frustrating 13 weeks, culminating in an acceptance date of Dec. 4.

The first of many delays underscores a broader issue of coordination and urgency within the city’s planning departments, directly impacting developments like Lemay Forest. A recent report showed permits are down over 80% compared to last year in the city.

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This pattern of delays is not new to Winnipeggers. Mayor Gillingham and his council appear to be following in the footsteps of former Mayor Brian Bowman, whose tenure was also marked by repeated delays in city planning and development. This continuity of inefficiency is disappointing and raises concerns about the city’s ability to manage and expedite development projects in the midst of a housing crisis.

John Wintrup, representing the developer, drew parallels between the Lemay Forest development and the Parker Lands development debacle. The Parker Lands case, which resulted in a multi-million-dollar judgment against the city, highlighted significant failures in city planning and development processes. Wintrup emphasized the fundamental rights of citizens to be treated fairly by their government, to receive timely services, to be heard, and to have access to housing.

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“The City is zero for four on this matter,” he told the Winnipeg Sun.

The most recent delay in the Lemay Forest development was attributed to Councillor Markus Chambers. According to a letter sent to all council members by Kevin Toyne, the lawyer representing the developer, Chambers was not entirely truthful about his reasons for postponing a hearing on the matter. The letter claims that Chambers, who requested a delay in the hearing so he could seek legal advice, approached the developer’s client at City Hall and cited it was personal pressures and concerns for his mental health and family as reasons for the adjournment, not the need to seek legal advice. Chambers was in hot water recently and was required to apologize for voting on a development that was his friend’s.

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Toyne, in the letter, requested that the official record be corrected to reflect the true reasons for the delay at the outset of the committee’s meeting regarding the application. However, with no action taken by the city to address this recent delay, the developer has taken the issue to the province.

“The city’s unreasonable delays and failure to proceed on new housing have forced an appeal to the Manitoba Municipal Board,” Wintrup said. “The board will now serve as the hearing body and decision-maker for this new housing project in Winnipeg.”

This means that no further hearings will be held by the City of Winnipeg on the Lemay Forest development.

The landowner intends to seek costs related to this appeal and the expenses of holding the hearing at the Manitoba Municipal Board, as provided in the City Charter.

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Wintrup expressed frustration with the city’s approach.

“From day one, the city seems intent on following the Parker Lands playbook, which ultimately hurts taxpayers instead of addressing the housing crisis,” Wintrup said.

The Lemay Forest development saga highlights ongoing issues within Winnipeg’s city planning processes. The repeated delays hinder development and have broader implications for the city’s housing crisis and taxpayer expenses. As the situation unfolds, all eyes will be on the Manitoba Municipal Board to see if it can resolve this protracted dispute and set a precedent for more efficient handling of future developments in Winnipeg.

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

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