Mayor's promise to build modular housing for homeless Winnipeggers gets boost from city committee

Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham's campaign promise to build hundreds of housing units on city-owned land for people experiencing homelessness got a boost from the city's property and development committee on Wednesday.

Committee chair Coun. Sherri Rollins introduced a motion seeking pre-approval from council to provide six parcels of land, upon which 270 units of modular housing would be built.

During this fall's election campaign, Gillingham promised to use funding from the federal Rapid Housing Initiative to build the modular housing units.

Rollins's motion also waives all municipal property taxes, along with permit and development-related fees, for projects over the duration of the federal initiative.

The motion was passed unanimously by the committee.

In an interview after the meeting, Rollins said fee waivers could apply to all affordable housing projects.

"That's the aim. That's been the long-standing ask from community, is for the city to do all it can to support folks who are already trying to meet the housing need," the Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry councillor said.

"It's something that was always available to not-for-profit operators — they can come to council and ask us to waive fees. This motion does that and more."

The six modular housing sites could be land the city currently owns, or land it purchases.

Once the sites are approved, the projects would be completed within eight to 12 months, the motion says.

The city would work with the provincial government to provide support services to people living in the units.

"This was a campaign commitment of mine and I think it's a priority for all of council," Gillingham said in a written statement.

"We have to be ready to move quickly so we can access the federal funds and get building. People need housing as soon as possible."

The motion also calls on the city to explore office-to-residential conversions in Winnipeg's downtown, another of Gillingham's campaign promises.

City officials would suggest changes to the city's zoning bylaw, which is undergoing a review, to support construction of housing along commercial and transit corridors, which could include "the reduction or elimination of parking minimums," the motion says.

Property and development director retiring

The meeting marked the last property and development committee meeting for outgoing department director John Kiernan.

Rollins said a tearful goodbye to Kiernan during the meeting.

"As a city councillor, you really stand on the shoulders of giants. You really get to work with career public servants — the years that they've put into this city make your heart swell," Rollins said.

"What this man has seen and, honestly, built deserves some high praise." 

Kiernan thanked Rollins.

"I get to be the figurehead as director, but there's lots of good people who do lots of good work every day, and when we think our job is hard, I am sometimes grateful I'm not a politician. That's harder, I think," he said.

Kiernan has been director of the department since September 2015.