Loney Announces Major Overhaul
for Infill Housing Projects

Innovative Strategy to Reduce Neighbourhood Friction,
See Greener, Higher Quality Developments

Released August 18, 2022

WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Mayoral candidate Shaun Loney announced today that when elected Mayor he will work with local neighbourhoods, City Council and the development industry to address a growing backlash against residential infill development and increased density in mature neighbourhoods across Winnipeg.

“Infill development is vital to Winnipeg’s overall growth from an economic, financial and quality of life perspective,” said Loney citing its many benefits compared to sprawling, low-density and vehicle-dependent development on the city’s fringes.

“It is clear that the City of Winnipeg’s new guidelines for small-scale residential development within existing neighbourhoods have gaps that create unnecessary friction. This is resulting in uncertainties and delays for developers and diminished community support for infill,” noted Loney.

The first step that Loney pledged is for the City of Winnipeg to become proactive on infill development inspections by establishing a new ‘Infill Compliance Team’. This dedicated Team would not only react more promptly to neighbour’s complaints but also conduct more random inspections to ensure compliance with existing development rules. Cost of this added enforcement will be offset by increased permit fees and fines for repeat offenders.

“We need to learn from other jurisdictions that have successfully addressed similar challenges with infill,” said Loney citing the progress that the City of Edmonton has made to improve its inspection process in mature neighbourhoods as an example.

The second step Loney announced was to work with the development industry and mature neighbourhoods experiencing infill to launch a non-profit, voluntary ‘Considerate Developer Program’.

Modelled after similar initiatives in the UK, local infill developers, contractors and their suppliers would voluntarily register with the program and agree to abide by a code of conduct developed jointly by industry, civic officials and residents from mature neighbourhoods experiencing a high level of infill development.

The Program would require registered infill projects to go beyond minimum by-law and building code requirements to improve community relations with respect to a wide-range of issues (e.g., appearance of their construction site, protection of mature trees, notification of neighbours, limiting noise and dust, limiting blocking of streets and back lanes, better protecting adjoining properties during demolitions and excavations, etc.).

The third step announced by Loney is to create ‘Green Incentives for Infill Development’ to expedite wait times for permits and enable developers and homeowners leverage incentives from the federal Greener Homes Program and Efficiency Manitoba. New civic incentives would encourage increased energy efficiency, installation of heat pumps and solar power as well as measures to reduce stormwater run-off into combined sewers with green infrastructure such as permeable landscaping, rain gardens and preservation of mature trees.

Loney also noted that additional incentives would be available for projects to build near transit routes, install electric vehicle home chargers, provide secure bike storage and incorporate car sharing options.

To recognize and increase public and industry awareness of progressive infill projects, Loney said that he would ask City Council to sponsor a pair of ‘Infill Design Excellence Awards’ under the annual Parade of Homes operated by the Manitoba Home Builders Association; one focussed on single-detached infill and the other for multi-unit projects.

The final element of the strategy announced by Loney is a ‘Local Infill Development Benefits Fund’. This new fund would return a portion of the additional revenue generated by infill development to fund local improvements identified by community residents, such as increased green and recreation spaces, tree planting and landscaping and traffic calming, within those mature neighbourhoods most impacted by infill development.

“We need to ensure that we balance the positive benefits of infill with legitimate concerns about how the development happens. Infill projects are an important part of the long-term health of our neighbourhoods and cannot be unduly held back by ‘NIMBYism’,” said Loney.

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