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Former city planner John Wintrup and Winnipeg Sun columnist Kevin Klein tackled the Liberal Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) and its impact on Winnipeg in the latest Winnipeg Newsmakers podcast. Their discussion comes after Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the program, calling it a failure and pointing to Winnipeg as an example.
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Poilievre specifically mentioned the long-delayed Parker Lands development, which has been tied up in bureaucratic red tape for years despite commitments from Mayor Scott Gillingham to fast-track housing projects. “This program isn’t working for Winnipeg,” Poilievre stated, pointing to the HAF as ineffective in addressing housing shortages.
Klein highlighted what he described as “spin” from the mayor’s office, which he says has done little to move meaningful housing projects forward. He criticized the lack of transparency around the HAF and questioned how funds were being used, suggesting the program was more about optics than real solutions.
Wintrup added a broader perspective, arguing that Winnipeg’s housing crisis goes beyond federal funding programs like the HAF.
“The real issue isn’t about getting money from Ottawa,” Wintrup said. Instead, he pointed to systemic problems within the city’s planning processes, including slow approval timelines, outdated zoning policies, and a lack of clear priorities for affordable housing.
Winnipeg’s challenges, they said, require local leadership to address inefficiencies and prioritize meaningful housing strategies. The discussion underscores a growing frustration with housing policy in Winnipeg, as residents and experts alike demand action on one of the city’s most pressing issues.
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