After a councillor’s call to expropriate the privately owned Lemay Forest in St. Norbert, city staff will study the idea of rezoning the land for a new park.
Coun. Russ Wyatt (Transcona) told council’s property and development committee Monday morning that despite some concerns, he would support the city’s expropriation of the contentious urban forest.
“I’m a believer in private property rights. I do this very reluctantly, the idea of moving to expropriate,” said Wyatt.
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The area of the Lemay Forest where the trees were cut down in late December 2024.
However, he said the city needs to take action. In recent weeks there have been tense standoffs between work crews hired by the property owner to take down trees and area residents opposed to any development on the land owing to its importance as an animal habitat.
Tochal Development Group proposed a massive 2,500-unit assisted-living facility for the site, arguing it would provide much-needed housing. City council rejected the proposal in September, and the Manitoba Municipal Board is expected to hear an appeal of that decision next month.
The battle has sparked legal challenges from both sides. Recently, some opponents began camping out to block an access point to the land and prevent tree-cutting.
“I think that this shows that the city is interested in the land,” Wyatt said. “Hopefully, it will send a signal to the property owner… that we’re serious, that we’re looking at this.”
On Monday afternoon, he raised the successful motion to have city staff study land acquisition and rezoning options for Lemay forest and report back on the matter in 30 days. He didn’t specifically include the word expropriation in the motion.
The committee ordered the report, though Coun. Sherri Rollins voted against it.
“The first aspect of (Wyatt’s) motion proposed rezoning lands to parks and it’s essential to note that, without consent of landowners, that represents a pretty big interference with property rights,” said Rollins, council’s property and development chairwoman.
The Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry councillor said she supports both new public spaces and fair development rules.
“I do believe in voluntary agreements… and, where we have to assemble or expropriate (land), fair compensation must always be the approach,” said Rollins.
The project’s planner expects the owner would fight any effort to expropriate the property.
“I’m pretty certain the landowner and his legal team (would) be opposing that and fighting it through the courts and through the appropriate bodies. There are mechanisms available under the (Charter of Rights and Freedoms) to allow for a private property owner… not to be bullied around and (be) forced to turn over his lands,” said John Wintrup.
The developer has rejected several offers to buy the land in order to preserve the forest, suggesting they fell far short of market value.
A spokeswoman for The Coalition to Save Lemay Forest urged the city to take over the land.
“I’m asking you, all of you, within whatever means and powers that you have, to move it forward, that we protect this land,” Louise May said during the Monday committee meeting.
Mayor Scott Gillingham said he’s hesitant to weigh in on next steps for the city.
“At this point, I’m not in favour of expropriation. And… every time a politician kind of opens their mouth on this and talks about this publicly, it seems the price of that land goes up,” he said.
“There’s a lot of work that’s happening behind the scenes right now. I have been in conversation with those that are involved in those various works and continue to support that.”
The property and development committee expects a verbal report on the topic next month.
joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca
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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.
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