Cities all across Canada are facing significant challenges related to housing affordability and availability. Population growth has led to a rising demand for housing that the current rate of housing construction cannot meet.
The City has developed eight targeted Action Plan Initiatives aimed at speeding up the rate of development and increasing the number of affordable units available in Winnipeg.
The City will modernize zoning rules, increase density near major transit and transportation routes, and incentivize the construction of more housing, including affordable housing units and projects to help people experiencing homelessness.
These initiatives are being made possible through the support of the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), a national housing program launched in 2023 by the Government of Canada through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
With the support of $122.4 million in HAF funding, the City is required to help create 3,166 additional building permitted housing units than we would normally see, and 14,101 in total over the next three years. This includes at least 931 affordable housing units.
The City is receiving the funding in four annual installments, beginning with $30.6 million in 2023. The remaining installments will require progress on the Action Plan Initiatives and achieving our building permitted housing targets.
Information on the Action Plan Initiatives is outlined below and will be updated as more information is available.
For questions on the HAF program and funding, contact HAF@winnipeg.ca.
Read the Housing Accelerator Fund Contribution Agreement as amended on July 17, 2024 (PDF, 1.1MB)
Action Plan Initiatives
We are streamlining zoning rules to increase housing density, promote infill development, and expand the range of housing options city-wide. These by-law amendments will be implemented starting now through 2025.
Zoning bylaw changes will introduce as-of-right permissions for four units per residential lot, up to four storeys within 800 metres of high-frequency transit and allow housing on currently designated commercial corridors and mall sites.
Learn more about malls & corridors.
Milestones
1. Program initiation
Completed – February 2024
The project team dedicated to leading rapid zoning by-law amendments was identified and a workplan for the entire initiative was created.
2. Review of current zoning bylaws
Completed – January 2024
A thorough review of the existing Winnipeg Zoning By-law and Downtown Zoning By-law began in January 2024.
3. Decision on bylaw amendments
Completed – May 2024
This collection of bylaw amendments, referred to as “Bucket 2”, focused on amendments that aligned with policies or directions previously endorsed by Council in May 2024. These changes included a number of amendments that support different types of "missing middle" housing, as outlined in the Small-Scale and Low-Rise Residential Development Guidelines for Mature Communities.
4. Housing being allowed as-of-right on currently designated commercial corridors and mall sites
Anticipated – January 2025
In April 2024, consultants were hired to assist with drafting two further collections, or “buckets”, of zoning bylaw amendments. Bucket 3.1 focused on allowing housing on commercial corridors and mall sites. The Bucket 3.1 amendments were passed by Council in November 2024. The by-law is scheduled to come into effect on January 31, 2025.
5. Legalize four dwelling units per residential lot be permitted as-of-right city-wide
Anticipated – June 2025
A further collection of zoning bylaw amendments, referred to as Bucket 3.2, is focused on making it easier to build up to four residential units on a single property city-wide. This collection of amendments will be scheduled for a public hearing before Council in June 2025.
6. Legalize four units of up to four storeys as-of-right within 800 metres of high-frequency transit corridors
Anticipated – June 2025
Zoning bylaw amendments included in Bucket 3.2 are also focused on making it easier to build four residential units on a single property and up to four storeys within 800 metres of high-frequency transit routes. This collection of amendments will be scheduled for a public hearing before Council in June 2025.
7. Hire a consultant to undertake Comprehensive Review of the Zoning Bylaws
Anticipated – December 2025
The fourth bucket of bylaw amendments will include a full re-write of both the Winnipeg Zoning By-law and Downtown Zoning By-law. This will consist of a comprehensive process with significant public and stakeholder consultation. It is anticipated the contract for re-writing both zoning bylaws will be awarded by December 2025.
Local area plans, or community plans, include local development policies to guide growth and development in a defined area. We use these plans to maintain development policies in areas and neighbourhoods across Winnipeg.
We will update these plans to remove additional barriers to housing development in existing neighbourhoods. This will include a comprehensive review of local area plans to identify constraints. Following this review, Winnipeg will prioritize planning amendments to address these barriers. Plan updates are expected to happen starting in late 2024 through 2025.
Milestones
1. Program initiation
Completed – May 2024
The project team, including project lead, was identified in January 2024. A final project charter and workplan for the initiative was created in May 2024.
2. Review of plans
Completed – December 2024
A review of the existing local area plans was undertaken in June and July 2024 to identify constraints to housing development. A list of potential amendments was identified through this review.
3. Council decision on accelerated amendments
Anticipated – June 2025
Council has approved the first round of local area plan amendments, including those to the Complete Communities Direction Strategy and one local area plan as part of Malls and Corridors. Work is underway for additional amendments to local area plans associated with four residential units permitted city-wide and four residential units up to four storeys within 800 metres of high frequency transit corridors, with an anticipated completion date of June 2025.
4. Prioritize major amendments
Anticipated – June 2025
Approximately 40 local area plans have been reviewed, along with any related City planning documents and policies. Limiting policies and regulations have been identified. Major amendments may include re-writes or significant changes to local area plans, and repeals of local area plans that no longer align with City policies.
5. Launch major amendments
Anticipated – December 2025
The launch of major amendments and their related public engagement programs is expected to begin following Council approval of the accelerated amendments (Milestone #3).
This initiative will provide direct funding to local housing projects through the Capital Grant Incentive Program to create more housing supply in Winnipeg.
The first round (May 31, 2024 - July 12, 2024) of the program focused on affordable housing projects and projects Downtown, with $25 million available.
Learn more about the Capital Grant Incentive Program.
Milestones
1. Program design
Completed – April 2024
As part of planning the project, the public service needed to determine program criteria, application administration and enforcement processes, fulfill staffing requirements, and engage with partners to ensure alignment with other available housing programs.
2. Council adoption
Completed – July 2024
The public service assessed policy and approval requirements, drafted a by-law that would govern the program, and prepared an administrative report for Council’s consideration. Council approved and adopted this by-law on May 30, 2024.
3. Program launch
Completed – October 2024
The City carried out a series of activities to launch Round One of the Capital Grant Incentive program in October 2024. The program was announced publicly, promoting $25 million in grant funding for eligible projects. The application window opened to project proponents to apply through an online portal. The public service worked with the Province of Manitoba, CMHC, End Homelessness Winnipeg, and Winnipeg Foundation to co-assess projects. The project team then prepared an administrative report for Council’s consideration with recommendations seeking approval for grant allocations. Round One of the program awarded grants to 11 local housing projects.
4. Economic feasibility study to enhance program
Anticipated – December 2025
The public service is planning for an economic feasibility study of the Capital Grant Incentive to enhance the program in future funding rounds. This includes determining the scope of the study and potential consultant requirements.
We will create a Land Enhancement Office to support the development of affordable, supportive, and mixed-income housing on City-owned land.
This initiative will focus on making land available to non-profit, supportive, and Indigenous housing providers to create affordable housing. Staff and policy framework for the Office are expected to be in place by the end of 2024.
Pre-development plans and studies will make it easier for partners to redevelop sites suitable for missing middle housing. The Office will also identify, acquire, consolidate, and rezone sites for higher-density residential development. Pre-development of sites will occur throughout 2025.
Milestones
1. Team Initiation
Completed - May 2024
Land Enhancement Administrator position was created and hired. A project team has been identified to support the Land Enhancement Office.
2. Policy Development
Completed - October 2024
This action sets out the policy framework and amendments needed to build housing on City-owned land. This phase included engagement and consultation with partners, including non-profit developers, Indigenous organizations, the Province of Manitoba, and private development industry. Significant policy and by-law changes have been adopted that will allow Land Development Office to meet its goals.
3. Pre-development for high-density development
Completed - December 2024
The Land Enhancement Office has identified and consolidated sites suitable for higher-density residential development. Properties are in the process of being sold, transferred, or leased to facilitate residential development. Council provided direction in September 2024 to provide delegated authority to the Chief Administrative Officer to declare strategic City-owned lands intended for affordable housing as surplus. Other pre-development activities include land survey and site servicing studies initiated by the City.
4. Pre-development for missing middle housing
Anticipated - December 2025
The Land Enhancement Office has identified sites with missing middle residential potential from its current inventory, as well as site selection criteria for future lands. City staff have begun research and planning activities that will allow the City to dispose of available lands in an open process that will generate units to meet HAF objectives.
The Affordable Housing Concierge Service acts as a single point of contact to assist non-profit housing providers and Indigenous organizations plan their affordable housing applications, coordinate expedited review times where possible, and provide guidance on next steps at different stages of the development and building permit processes.
Learn more about the Affordable Housing Concierge Service.
Milestones
1. Initiation
Completed June 2024
The process to hire an Affordable Housing Concierge began in January 2024. The Concierge began in their role in May 2024 and a final project charter and workplan was then created for the initiative.
2. Launch services
Completed - September 2024
Prior to launching the Affordable Housing Concierge Service for project proponents, the newly established Concierge met various City departments and divisions to discuss opportunities for expedited reviews in the development review process. Consultations were also held with non-profit and Indigenous housing providers to better understand their housing projects and explore how the service could support these initiatives. To date, the Affordable Housing Concierge Service has supported 50+ unique projects which reflected program goals and anticipated community and housing outcomes.
We will identify where local servicing constraints are a barrier to higher density housing. The City will invite developers to apply for financial assistance for infrastructure upgrades that could otherwise impede development. Through the use of a financial assistance program, we will help developers with upsizing costs associated with upgrading, extending, or installing infrastructure needed for new housing.
It could also include direct investments in infrastructure that will unlock City-owned sites identified for affordable housing redevelopments, which will complement the work of the land enhancement office.
Milestones
1. Program design and planning
Completed - June 2024
A project team was formed to guide the work of the infrastructure support program. The working group created a program plan and developed the criteria for program eligibility and evaluation.
2. Stakeholder consultation
Completed - August 2024
The project team held internal and external discussions that included holding workshops with industry groups and developers. These consultations with stakeholders were essential to helping shape the program.
3. Council approval
Completed - December 2024
Council reviewed and approved program details in December 2024. Program by-laws are being presented to Council in January 2025.
4. Program launch
Anticipated - April 2025
Program details are completed and by-laws are being presented to Council in January 2025. The public launch of the Infrastructure Support Program is anticipated in April 2025.
We will continue to improve the digitizing of building permit applications and expand digitized online applications to include all land development and planning applications.
Our online permit application portal will be further enhanced and modernized, with improvements like online appointments and self-service areas.
Milestones
1. Implementation of e-permitting portal
Anticipated - December 2025
The project is well into its planning phase and the initiative remains on track to achieve its milestone of implementing the e-permitting portal by December 2025. Software development for the first group of application types is set to begin in January 2025, with the upgraded Permits Online platform scheduled to launch in the second quarter of 2025. Following the launch of Permits Online 2.0, development applications will be integrated into the portal for online self-service throughout 2025.
We are required to put together a housing needs assessment report before the end of 2025 to help guide our HAF Action Plan Initiatives.
Milestones
1. Housing Needs Assessment
Anticipated - December 2025
The public service has begun drafting a detailed project plan, reviewing and evaluating the City’s previous Housing Needs Assessment, and engaging with Housing Assessment Resource Tools (HART) researchers to update data. Delivery of this initiative will be prioritized in the first quarter of 2025.
Housing targets and results
Reporting period – December 5, 2023 – December 5, 2024
- Housing unit target – 3,733
- Net new housing units – 4,307
- Single family detached homes – 580
- Multi-family housing units (Close to frequent transit) – 1,389
- Multi-family housing units (Missing middle housing units) – 850
- Multi-family housing units (Other) – 1,488
- Affordable units included – 244
Note: One unit is a construction permitted housing unit that may be completed, under construction, or pending construction.