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OurWinnipeg 2045 and Complete Communities 2.0 review processes have reached the start of the approvals phase. The anticipated process will unfold as follows:
As part of the decision making and report review process, there is an opportunity for members of the public to appear as a delegation before the Executive Policy Committee (EPC) when the report is brought forward on Wednesday, January 20. The meeting will begin at 9:30a.m. in the Council building at 510 Main St., and will also be streamed online. The meeting agenda is now available online.
Please be reminded that you can review all past drafts and engagement materials at winnipeg.ca/OurWinnipeg/
OurWinnipeg 2045 and Complete Communities 2.0 review processes have reached the start of the approvals phase. The anticipated process will unfold as follows:
As part of the decision making and report review process, there is an opportunity for members of the public to appear as a delegation before the Executive Policy Committee (EPC) when the report is brought forward on Wednesday, January 20. The meeting will begin at 9:30a.m. in the Council building at 510 Main St., and will also be streamed online. The meeting agenda is now available online.
Please be reminded that you can review all past drafts and engagement materials at winnipeg.ca/OurWinnipeg/
OurWinnipeg 2045 recognizes that we need to work together to achieve complex global issues through local leadership and action. OurWinnipeg’s goals, objectives, and policy directions are based on 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and endorsed by the Government of Canada. OurWinnipeg 2045 localizes and condenses the SDGs into six key goals for the City of Winnipeg (see Figure 1 below). This framework provides a basis for achieving sustainable development, respecting human rights and measuring progress.
Figure 1 - OurWinnipeg Goals
Moving from Policy to Action
The revisions to OurWinnipeg 2045 sets the stage for actions and measure progress through strategic policy direction aligned with the SDGs. Policy areas that have been given additional emphasis include:
The adoption of OurWinnipeg will start the process of creating a Strategic Priorities Action Plan in response to a strong public sentiment about the importance of policy implementation. Taking action on these goals will benefit from collaboration with the community.
We are using Peg community indicators (OurWinnipeg draft, page 37) as a starting point to understand the current state of the community and prioritize actions that respond to community needs.
Like most North American cities, Winnipeg’s urban footprint increased significantly relative to its population in the post-war years. From 1971 to 2019, its settlement area nearly doubled in size (an increase of 92%), while its population only grew by only 37%[1].
The settlement area includes all urban development used to support Winnipeg’s growth. This definition is similar to that of the Municipal Benchmarking Initiative (MBN) and the map is consistent with the historic 1966 Metropolitan Winnipeg Development Plan ‘Historical Growth Pattern’ map in that it shows all forms of growth by parcel, including golf courses, rail yards, park space, etc.
Note: This is an informational map only and is not intended to be regulatory or to have any policy implications.
[1] City of Winnipeg analysis
At the same time, the population of its Mature Communities declined by 82,000 people between 1971 and 2016[2]. This was largely due to declining household sizes as well as increased economic prosperity allowing people to purchase larger, more land-intensive single-family dwellings with multiple vehicles per household. This decline primarily occurred in the 1970’s and 1980’s and population levels have started to rebound in the 2000’s and 2010’s.
Our growth patterns have been primarily driven by changing consumer preferences for larger lots and larger homes.
Source: City of Winnipeg
In 1918, the average lot size for a single-family detached home was around 4,000 square feet, peaking at around 9,000 square feet in 2000. Recently, average lot sizes have decreased to just over 6,000 square feet.
In 1918, the average living area for a single family detached home was 997 square feet. This number dropped during the depression and WWII but has been steadily increasing to around 1,700 square feet today.
These trends have left Winnipeg with an urban fabric that is increasingly difficult to maintain. For example, from 1971 to 2016, Winnipeg’s population grew by 32% but the length of its linear water pipes grew by 131%. With its budgets for both the maintenance and construction of new infrastructure stretched increasingly thin, Winnipeg is struggling to keep up with the needs of a growing city. The 2018 State of the Infrastructure Report estimated its 2018-2027 infrastructure deficit at $6.9 billion, which is exacerbated by limited revenue growth over the previous two decades.
Source: City of Winnipeg
Past decade
Over the last decade, housing preferences in Winnipeg have undergone a dramatic shift, following similar trends in other cities. While single-family dwellings have historically been the preferred housing type going back several generations, the number of multi-family housing starts (semi-detached, row, and apartment dwellings) first exceeded single-family housing starts in 2012. This trend has continued every year since.
Largely as a result of this market shift, greenfield development has become much more dense than suburbs planned even just ten years ago. Bridgewater Forest, the first phase of the Waverley West suburb, began building in 2007. This area has approximately eight units per net acre (roughly equivalent to Amber Trails or South River Heights). However, more recent developments are planned to accommodate densities between 12 and 15 units per net acre (i.e. between The Maples and Wolseley).
In contrast to single-family dwellings, the most land-intensive of all dwelling types, multi-family units can be accommodated almost anywhere that is compatible. As a result, intensification has increased, with 45% of all new residential units having been located in the existing built-up area of the city between 2011 and 2018[3].
[3] City of Winnipeg permit data
The table below provides a summary of new residential dwelling units by percentage for each area of the existing urban structure from 2011-2018. The urban structure map below the table provides a visual reference to show where these areas as located.
2011 (%) |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2011-18 |
|||
Existing Built Up Area |
39 |
43 |
41 |
63 |
47 |
47 |
33 |
56 |
46 |
||
Downtown |
3 |
2 |
1 |
10 |
5 |
6 |
5 |
11 |
5 |
||
Major Redevelopment Sites |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
7 |
2 |
||
Corridor frontage |
4 |
3 |
5 |
7 |
4 |
6 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
||
Areas of Stability (Mature Communities) |
10 |
19 |
12 |
15 |
17 |
14 |
13 |
18 |
15 |
||
Areas of Stability (Recent Communities) |
21 |
17 |
22 |
31 |
19 |
18 |
11 |
15 |
19 |
||
Greenfield |
62 |
58 |
59 |
37 |
53 |
54 |
67 |
44 |
54 |
For more information, see the following:
After a decade of slow population growth in the 1990s, Winnipeg’s population began increasing steadily in the 2000s as a result of international immigration enabled by Manitoba’s Provincial Nominee Program. Over the 2010s, it is estimated that Winnipeg has grown by more than 95,000 people, a rate of growth more than ten times what was seen in the 1990s.
This robust population growth is expected to continue over the next 20 years. According to the Conference Board of Canada, the City of Winnipeg will grow by approximately 160,700 people between 2020 and 2040, or about 8,200 people annually. This growth will continue to be driven primarily by international immigration and has been critical in ensuring our workforce can support the needs of an aging population.
Source: City of Winnipeg Community Trends and Performance Report, Volume 1 for 2020 Budget
Source: City of Winnipeg Community Trends and Performance Report,
Volume 1 for 2020 Budget
As the population increases, so does the need for housing. Based on forecasted growth, Winnipeg will need to accommodate approximately 82,000 new dwellings between 2020 and 2040, or 3,900 new units annually.
Over the last decade, housing preferences in Winnipeg have undergone a dramatic shift, following similar trends in other cities. While single-family dwellings have historically been the preferred housing type going back several generations, the number of multi-family housing starts (semi-detached, row, and apartment dwellings) has exceeded single-family housing starts every year since 2012.
The Conference Board of Canada forecasts that the strong interest in multi-family dwellings seen in the 2010s will continue, with approximately 60% of all future units expected to be row houses or apartment units. The City will need to ensure land is continually planned, zoned, and serviced in both greenfield and infill areas to accommodate this growth.
Complete communities are places that both offer and support a variety of lifestyle choices, providing opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to live, work, shop, learn and play in close proximity to one another.
The short answer is no. Whether it’s rain (Portland, Ore. and Vancouver, B.C.), extreme heat (Miami, Fla. and Phoenix, Ariz.) or snow (Montreal, Que. and Ottawa, Ont.) – cities can adapt to their unique climates.
Winnipeg’s cold weather climate creates a host of benefits. However, it also poses challenges that we must overcome to best handle the demands of the weather and to fully embrace the season, while taking care of our vulnerable citizens.
By applying planning and design approaches suited to our unique climate, Winnipeg can mitigate some of the discomfort and inconveniences of winter. This positive approach can also make winter more enjoyable for everyone and bolster our community’s ability to attract new businesses and residents.
Recognizing this, cities such as Minneapolis and Edmonton – whose climates are similar to Winnipeg’s – have also been prioritizing the concept of complete communities in their development plans.
The 160,000 new residents that are expected to arrive in Winnipeg over the next 20 years offer a golden opportunity to help achieve its city building goals, such as revitalizing neighbourhoods and providing better support to retail, community, and sustainable transportation amenities. However, if managed poorly, their achievement could end up more distant, threatening Winnipeg’s long term sustainability.
In support of the new OurWinnipeg and Complete Communities 2.0, the Residential Growth Study was undertaken to help determine how Winnipeg could grow in the best way possible. This work consisted of three phases:
Below are the results of the study area assessments. These findings were used to inform key policies in Complete Communities 2.0, including the 50% intensification target, the greenfield phasing plan, and the introduction of Priority Corridors. More detailed information on the assessments can be found here:
For more information, please see the three growth scenarios.
The 160,000 new residents that are expected to arrive in Winnipeg over the next 20 years offer a golden opportunity to help achieve its city building goals, such as revitalizing neighbourhoods and providing better support to retail, community, and sustainable transportation amenities. However, if managed poorly, their achievement could end up more distant, threatening Winnipeg’s long term sustainability.
In support of the new OurWinnipeg and Complete Communities 2.0, the Residential Growth Study was undertaken to help determine how Winnipeg could grow in the best way possible. This work consisted of three phases:
Accommodating 160,000 new Winnipeggers will require about 82,000 new dwelling units, or approximately 1,700 single family dwellings, 400 rows, and 2,000 apartment units a year. The third phase of the Growth Study considered three different ways this housing could be distributed.
The first scenario considered 60% of all new dwelling units would be accommodated in greenfield areas versus 40% in the existing built-up area. This was considered to be largely status quo, with modest improvements needed to make infill development easier and more desirable to offset the depletion of easier opportunities over the time horizon of the plan. The second scenario considered a 50/50 split, where the greenfield share would decrease slightly over time through a more considerable effort in making infill easier and more desirable. The third considered 40% of new units in the existing built-up area, which would see the greenfield share decrease significantly through a substantial, concerted effort in enabling infill development.
(It should be noted that the three scenarios were based on the most recent Conference Board of Canada forecast, which contemplated a higher amount of singles-to-multis than what has actually materialized in recent years. Because single family dwellings are difficult to accommodate in infill areas at a significant scale, it will be easier to achieve a more aggressive intensification target if new multifamily units continue to outpace the forecasted rate, and vice versa.)
The three scenarios were assessed based on their policy and investment implications, conformance with OurWinnipeg sustainable development principles, and other metrics. It was felt that Scenario 2 served as an appropriate target that improved upon a number of City goals, including achievement of the emissions reduction target from the Council-endorsed Climate Action Plan. There was reticence to push hard for Scenario 3, as it was determined that its achievement would require restricting the amount of multifamily units in greenfield areas in spite of a developer’s willingness (keep in mind all three scenarios are working with the same unit type mix). It was felt that this ran contrary to complete communities principles.
From there, the preferred Scenario 2 was then imported into Complete Communities as the 50% intensification target.
What do you think – is a 50% intensification target too aggressive, not aggressive, or just right? Let us know!
For more information, please see the study area assessments.
The City of Winnipeg is forecasted to grow by 160,000 people over the next 20 years. Not only will these future Winnipeggers need places to live, but also places to work and to shop. Understanding how the city’s jobs will change and evolve is a critical piece in planning for growth.
In support of the new OurWinnipeg and Complete Communities 2.0, an Employment and Commercial Lands Study was undertaken to understand how much land will be needed for industrial and commercial development over the next 20 years. The study also reviewed existing plan policies and provided recommendations to ensure future development best promotes City goals and objectives. The study was led by a consulting team directed by Watson & Associated Economists Ltd.
Most notably, the study found:
The results of this study were used to inform new Complete Communities policies, most notably found in the Employment Lands and Commercial Areas and Mixed Use Centres sections.
For more information, please see the final report.
Visit winnipeg.ca/publicengagement to learn about some of the ways we can accommodate those who may need alternative access to engagement or information.
For inquiries or those who require alternate formats, interpretation or any additional accommodations to participate please contact city-engage@winnipeg.ca or (204) 986-4243.
OurWinnipeg Lead
Phone | 204-986-4243 |
ourwinnipeg@winnipeg.ca |
Complete Communities Lead
Phone | 204-986-4243 |
completecommunities@winnipeg.ca |
Public Engagement Officer
Phone | 204-986-4243 |
city-engage@winnipeg.ca |
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