Winnipeg, MB – The City of Winnipeg continues to improve the development process with 41 construction project types now exempt from needing a development permit.
Exemptions let developers, small businesses, and homeowners bypass development permits for some projects. Most of these projects will still need a building permit.
“More development permit exemptions means less red tape,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham. “By streamlining approvals, we’re making it easier to invest, renovate, and build – including getting more housing projects moving faster.”
“These exemptions benefit development by allowing certain projects to move directly to the building permit stage,” said Councillor Evan Duncan, Chairman of the Standing Policy Committee on Property & Development. “This can help advance construction start dates by several weeks. We’ve heard from residents and industry that timelines need to improve, and we’re listening.”
Beginning today, five new projects are being added to the development permit exemptions list:
- Change of use to establish an office in an existing commercial building anywhere in the city
- Change of use to establish a personal services use or a retail sales use in an existing commercial building outside of the downtown area
- Change of use to re-establish agricultural cultivation (farming)
- Replacement of an existing fire escape
- Like-for-like replacement of balconies
In March 2024, we launched the first phase of development permit exemptions. This phase included 25 project types. The second phase in September of 2025 included 11 exemptions.
“As of today, we’ve launched 41 development permit exemptions over the last two years,” said Hazel Borys, Director of the Planning, Property & Development Department. “With the first phase alone, we saw year-over-year volumes reduced by more than 30 percent. This latest round may contribute to a further reduction in annual volumes.”
See the list of development permit exemptions at City of Winnipeg – Development Permits.
The City continues to simplify the development process. We’re speeding up construction projects and reducing red tape.