WINNIPEG - September 24, 2008 – Committed to improving and protecting the quality of life in our City by placing stricter safety and security standards on property owners of vacant and derelict buildings, City Council voted unanimously today to request that the Province of Manitoba amend the City of Winnipeg Charter to reduce timelines in Taking Title Without Compensation provisions. Changes made to the Charter will reduce the amount of time to bring the derelict property into compliance following a Preliminary Derelict Buildings Order from 60 days to 31 days, coinciding with the appeal period provided to the property owner and the time to bring the derelict property into compliance after a satisfactory plan for redevelopment and a Derelict Building Order would also be reduced to 30 to 90 days.

“I am pleased that Council has united to meet the needs of Winnipeggers to move forward and take title without compensation from property owners whose negligence is a blight on our neighbourhoods and a danger to the health and safety of our citizens and emergency service personnel,” said Mayor Sam Katz.  “We have successfully conducted an initial inspection of all buildings on our City’s Vacant Building Registry, will be increasing resources for enforcement of the Vacant & Derelict Buildings By-Law through the Consolidated By-Law Enforcement Unit set to come into effect on November 1, 2008, and while we still have much more to do, the adoption of this report today means faster compliance and earlier rejuvenation of our City’s vibrant neighbourhoods.”