City of Winnipeg eyes lots near transit loop, bus garage for affordable housing
5 city-owned properties selected for affordable housing projects
The City of Winnipeg is looking for ideas to redevelop five of its properties into affordable housing.
The list includes two locations next to major transit hubs.
Affordable housing could soon rise around — or possibly over — a transit loop at 795 William Ave., near the Health Sciences Centre.
The William Avenue bus loop covers about 40 per cent of the site. The city's proposal suggests incorporating the loop into the new development, possibly by building over top of it.
"By giving respondents and developers an opportunity to be creative with their proposals, we might be able to see a really interesting development here that can maximize the potential for the property," said Richard Mahé, the head of the city's land enhancement office.
The city also wants to build a mixed-use residential and apartment building on a lot next to the Fort Rouge transit garage, on south Osborne Street.
It hopes that by building office space there, it can consolidate Winnipeg Transit staff in one location.
The city put out a call for expressions of interest to develop the five properties as part of an effort to build hundreds of units on city-owned land. That, in turn, is part of broader efforts to qualify for a total of $122.4 million from the federal government's housing accelerator fund.
One condition on potential developers requires at least 30 per cent of the units to be 80 per cent of median market rent.
A housing advocate praises the city for doing what it can to increase housing, but wishes more of it could be affordable.
"The bottom 18 per cent of Winnipeggers can't afford a rent that's more than $1,000, and a good chunk of that can afford a rent that's much less," said Yutaka Dirks, chair of the city committee with the Right to Housing Coalition.
Mayor Scott Gillingham, who was elected in 2022, has made developing housing on city properties a priority of his first term.
"When I campaigned for election as mayor, I spoke about the fact that the city owns properties that are underutilized, and those properties need to be put into circulation at this time when we need more housing built," he said Wednesday.
Mahé pointed out that the Osborne location is also near a rapid transit station.
"And Osborne is a great street, both in terms of in the Osborne Village area, but the south Osborne area is also growing and populated as well. And more housing here will be beneficial."
The city is also looking to develop a lot at 545 Watt St., currently occupied by two single-storey buildings and storage facilities, as well as a vacant lot at 825 Taché Ave. A former police station at 1350 Pembina Hwy. is also on the list.
More than 500 units could rise on these lots if the city's plans come together.
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