Public hearing process

The public hearing process gives anyone who may be interested in, or affected by a development application, a chance to share their views, or raise concerns on the subject of the hearing. Public hearings are open to everyone.

Hearing body

Members of the hearing body must remain fair and neutral. Its members listen to all sides on the merits of a development application during the hearing before making a recommendation or decision, depending on the matter. Once public representations have closed, members of the hearing body and the approving authority cannot accept or consider any new information outside the public hearing process. This helps to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to hear and respond to what is said.

If the hearing body makes a recommendation to City Council, no further comments or presentations can be made at Council or any other Committee as the matter moves through the committee process.

Public hearing process

Before the hearing, the area planner will prepare a report that summarizes the application and includes a recommendation for consideration by the hearing body.

The report will be available on the City’s Decision Making Information System (DMIS) four business days before the hearing under the Committee's agenda documents.

Generally, and unless otherwise directed by the hearing body, the usual order of speakers is:

  • the applicant (or representative)
  • persons registered in support of the application
  • persons registered in opposition to the application
  • persons registered for information on the application
  • the applicant (or representative) will have the opportunity to speak in rebuttal to comments made, but cannot introduce new information

The hearing body may set time limits for speakers, and may decline to hear presentations, questions or objections where they are satisfied that the matter has been fully addressed.

Some hearing bodies make the final decision. Others only make recommendations to City Council. The decision making authority depends on the type of application. If the hearing body makes a recommendation to City Council, no further comments or presentations can be made at Council or any other Committee as the matter moves forward to Council.

In some cases, a public hearing may be adjourned, which means that the hearing will continue at a later date. When it adjourns the hearing, the hearing body will announce the new date, time. If not, the City will provide notice as though the reconvened hearing were a new hearing.

Participate in a public hearing 

To submit comments or register to speak at a public hearing, complete the public representation form before the hearing.

Submitting this form:

  • registers you to participate
  • also allows the City to notify you of the hearing body's decision or recommendation
  • provides  information on how to appeal, if applicable.

No new information can be accepted after the public representation portion of the hearing ends.

All registrations should be received by the City Clerk’s Department by 12:00 noon the business day before the hearing.

 

Public record

All comments, whether spoken or submitted in writing, become part of the public record and will be exhibited on the public hearing file, which is available for public inspection and may be published online through the City’s Decision Making Information System (DMIS).

Any personal information included in a submission will also form part of the public record. Only address and contact information fields will be obscured.

All meetings are video recorded and the recording will be posted and made available online permanently.

Variance and conditional use appeals

Some decisions made at the initial public hearing may be appealed. This applies specifically to certain variance and conditional use applications. If an appeal is received, a new public hearing will be held by the appropriate appeal body. When a new appeal hearing is scheduled, a notice with the new hearing date and time will be posted on the property.

At the appeal hearing, the Committee can:

  • confirm the original decision
  • vary the original decision
  • cancel the original decision

The Appeal Committee’s decision is final and cannot be appealed further.

Referrals to the Municipal Board

As a result of The City of Winnipeg Charter Amendment Act, the approval process of certain zoning and secondary plan by-laws and amendments to those by-laws have changed.

If one of these applications receives sufficient objections at the original hearing, additional opportunities to object to the application exist after the matter is considered by Council. For this process, sufficient objections is defined as 300 voters.

Objections to the application must be received by the City Clerk’s Department before public representations close at the original hearing. They must also be submitted using the public representation form. 

If 300 sufficient objections are received, Council can only give first reading to the proposed by-law, and the City will notify everyone who made a submission at the original hearing that they may file another objection to first reading of the by-law.

If the City receives sufficient objections again within 14 days of the notice being sent, the City must refer the matter to the Municipal Board to conduct a review based on the city planning records.

For more information about matters that referred to the Board, please see the Municipal Board  webpage.

Objections

Objections, petitions and form letters submitted to a hearing body must clearly state a description of the matter being considered. To be considered valid, each person listed on the document must provide all of the following:  

  • full name
  • address, including postal code
  • signature
  • the date they signed
  • confirmation that they are an eligible voter in the City of Winnipeg

Submissions must be filed with the City Clerk prior to the hearing. After a submission is filed, no signatures can be added or removed. All required fields included on the template must be filled in legibly. If any information is missing or illegible, that entry will not be considered valid.

Petition of Objections Template

If you require an alternate format or if you have additional questions concerning the public hearing process, please contact the City Clerk's Department.

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