Planning framework for Winnipeg and its neighbours is dead, new plan expected in 2 years

The mayors and reeves of Winnipeg and its surrounding municipalities voted Thursday morning not to proceed with a contentious regional planning framework.

Members of the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region — the city and 17 surrounding municipalities — voted not to forward Plan 20-50 to the province, effectively killing the planning framework for what used be known as the Manitoba capital region.

Plan 20-50 became a lightning rod this summer for a range of anti-government grievances, including some that had nothing to do with the contents of the plan itself.

The Winnipeg Metropolitan Region is now expected to develop a new planning framework by Jan. 1, 2027, an extension expected to be granted by the province when new legislation introduced by the NDP government is passed.

Mike Moore, who chairs the regional group, said in a statement that the new plan will respect the wishes of individual councils.

Plan 20-50 was supposed to co-ordinate regional planning for major roads and other infrastructure projects, including wastewater treatment or emergency services. It also called for the expansion of transit services and included guidelines for developing residential areas, including proscriptive rules governing the size of lots in new residential areas.

Backlash to the plan led to opposition from several municipal leaders. That led the provincial government to effectively kill the plan in advance by introducing legislation that allows municipalities to opt out of the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region.

East St. Paul Mayor Carla Devlin said the development of a new plan will be difficult if many municipalities withdraw from the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region.

"It'll be a challenge to be effective. I don't know how that's going to look and I don't know who's going to leave," Devlin said.

"I think that's in everybody's best interest, to work within Winnipeg Metropolitan Region and work for the better good of Manitoba."

Moore acknowledged some municipalities may leave the region.

Earlier this year, Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham expressed concern the collapse of the planning framework would make it more difficult to attract businesses to the Winnipeg region.

"We need better collaboration between the province, rural municipalities and the city. If we don't get serious about co-operation, other regions — like Calgary, Minneapolis or even Saskatoon — will eat our lunch," Gillingham said in a statement in August.

"Manitobans want to know all levels of government are working together, not against each other — whether it's through an amended capital region plan or a different agreement."

Gillingham declined to comment on Thursday's vote.

Jennifer Freeman, the executive director of the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region, said in a statement that the organization "will continue to advocate for the needs of the region and ensure the interests of all communities are represented."

Leave neighbourhood planning to councils: mayor

Devlin said Freeman will require support to develop some form of successor plan. That plan, she said, should leave neighbourhood planning to municipal councils.

"I think that the density targets [of Plan 20-50] got into the weeds of municipalities and raised some eyebrows. I think that we have to have a gentle approach to development in municipalities and ensure that autonomy is still at the level of the council," Devlin said.

The East St. Paul mayor also said she feared Premier Wab Kinew's snap decision in August to allow municipalities to opt out of Plan 20-50 will embolden large groups of people to bully elected officials at municipal council meetings.

Several municipal leaders complained about a lack of decorum at a public hearing about the framework in Winnipeg in July. A second hearing slated for Niverville in August was cancelled after an even larger crowd showed up.

"We're seeing individuals that don't reside in our communities present during public hearing processes, and therefore government has empowered a certain body of people to think that they can control public hearings," Devlin said.

Glen Simard, Manitoba's municipal relations minister, brushed aside that concern. He said the NDP government is trying to unite municipalities by allowing some members of the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region to opt out of a regional planning framework.

"Rather than dictating the rules of the game to municipalities, we want them to build a consensus and decide what's best for their communities," Simard said Wednesday in an interview.

Simard also dismissed concerns the province is dawdling on a review of the municipal board — a separate body of unelected provincial appointees — after making a snap decision on Plan 20-50.

The Manitoba Association of Municipalities has long protested a decision by the former Progressive Conservative government to grant the municipal board expanded powers, including the ability to overturn land-use decisions made by municipal councils.

Kinew said in August his government was still reviewing those expanded powers.

Simard declined to say when the long-promised review will be complete.

"The process will be what the process will be," he said.