Latest news with #WilliamWhyteNeighbourhoodAssociation
CBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Make team tackling derelict properties in Winnipeg permanent, city report recommends
A team created to speed up City of Winnipeg responses to complaints about burned-out and derelict properties could become permanent. The city launched the unsafe conditions response team as a pilot project last year. At the time, city bylaw enforcement officers were taking weeks to make it to properties. Since launching the team, consisting of bylaw officers and building inspectors, the city has cut response times to one day for the initial inspection, while follow-up contact with the property owner is happening within seven business days, according to a city report. At this time, the team is made up of existing department staff and "is currently subject to competing departmental priorities. If the existing resources are required elsewhere, the [unsafe conditions response team] program would be ended," Rick Klassen, the manager of community construction permits, wrote in the report, which will be discussed by council's property and development committee on June 11. The city recommends that council approve funding to hire three temporary full-time employees to keep the program going until the end of this year, at a cost of about $130,500. It also recommends including funding for the team for the next four years, beginning in 2026, at a total cost of about $1.1 million for that period. That funding would be voted on in next year's budget process. The proposal needs approval from council. Darrell Warren, president of the William Whyte Neighbourhood Association, says he's happy the program could be made permanent. "I'm very enthusiastic about this program, because anything that speeds the process up would be a bonus in getting these derelict properties cleaned up, or whatever has to be done with them," Warren said. The William Whyte neighbourhood has among the highest rates of vacant building fires in Winnipeg. In the past, the slow response to complaints has been discouraging, he said. "The process is very, very slow going and it impacts the neighbourhood, because things aren't getting done and people aren't seeing a positive response when they go ahead and make their complaints on that particular property." Property and development committee chair Coun. Evan Duncan says he supports the proposal. "Since November of 2024, we've seen a dramatic uptick in timeliness and effectiveness for the department to get out there and assess these sites and make sure that things are getting cleaned up and not sitting there as big piles of rubble and ruining people's neighbourhoods," Duncan said. According to the report, the team referred 79 properties to the city's municipal accommodations department for remediation, which the city had identified as problem properties over the last three years, 37 of which are complete.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Yahoo
Winnipeg residents hope new bylaw offences lead to fewer demolished, derelict buildings
People living in Winnipeg neighbourhoods plagued by burnt-out and partially demolished buildings hope a host of proposed new bylaw offences lead to the cleanup of more problem properties. A report from the City of Winnipeg's property and development department recommends adding 37 new offences, under the Municipal By-law Enforcement Act — provincial legislation that allows the city to issue tickets for offences like neighbourhood liveability concerns. The new recommended offences include failing to start or complete demolition projects on time. Breaking one of the new rules could carry penalties up to $1,000. That comes as good news to people like Cheryl Martens, who has documented derelict buildings in the Spence neighbourhood for years. "I think $1,000 is not that much for somebody who owns property in the area, so I suppose if we were being critical, we could say it could be more," Martens said in an interview. "But the fact that they're doing it feels like they listened, which is worth a lot." The property and development committee delayed a vote on the proposal at its Wednesday meeting. The Winnipeg Construction Association and the Manitoba Home Builders' Association made a joint submission asking the city committee to lay it over to its next meeting, to give them time to consult with their members. That disappointed William Whyte Neighbourhood Association president Darrell Warren. "I really would like the city to take a stance, and we need to go ahead and hit these guys where it hurts, and that's in their pocketbooks. And we need to be tough," Warren said. Like Martens, the William Whyte Neighbourhood Association has asked the city to get tougher with derelict property owners, and recorded dozens of burned and demolished buildings, including a row of four vacant and boarded up houses at the corner of Powers Street and Aberdeen Avenue. "There are property owners here that own their houses and they take care of their properties. It's not fair that we as homeowners have to take care of our properties … and yet this stands for years and years and years," Warren said. If approved by council, other offences that would be added include failing to comply with a stop work order, and failing to leave a site or maintain it in a safe condition when work is suspended or terminated. The property committee will debate adding the new fines at its meeting next month.
CBC
16-04-2025
- CBC
Winnipeg residents hope new bylaw offences lead to fewer demolished, derelict buildings
People living in Winnipeg neighbourhoods plagued by burnt-out and partially demolished buildings hope a host of proposed new bylaw offences lead to the cleanup of more problem properties. A report from the City of Winnipeg's property and development department recommends adding 37 new offences, under the Municipal By-law Enforcement Act — provincial legislation that allows the city to issue tickets for offences like neighbourhood liveability concerns. The new recommended offences include failing to start or complete demolition projects on time. Breaking one of the new rules could carry penalties up to $1,000. That comes as good news to people like Cheryl Martens, who has documented derelict buildings in the Spence neighbourhood for years. "I think $1,000 is not that much for somebody who owns property in the area, so I suppose if we were being critical, we could say it could be more," Martens said in an interview. "But the fact that they're doing it feels like they listened, which is worth a lot." The property and development committee delayed a vote on the proposal at its Wednesday meeting. The Winnipeg Construction Association and the Manitoba Home Builders' Association made a joint submission asking the city committee to lay it over to its next meeting, to give them time to consult with their members. That disappointed William Whyte Neighbourhood Association president Darrell Warren. "I really would like the city to take a stance, and we need to go ahead and hit these guys where it hurts, and that's in their pocketbooks. And we need to be tough," Warren said. Like Martens, the William Whyte Neighbourhood Association has asked the city to get tougher with derelict property owners, and recorded dozens of burned and demolished buildings, including a row of four vacant and boarded up houses at the corner of Powers Street and Aberdeen Avenue. "There are property owners here that own their houses and they take care of their properties. It's not fair that we as homeowners have to take care of our properties … and yet this stands for years and years and years," Warren said. If approved by council, other offences that would be added include failing to comply with a stop work order, and failing to leave a site or maintain it in a safe condition when work is suspended or terminated. The property committee will debate adding the new fines at its meeting next month. City hall wants new fines for derelict buildings, rubble-filled lots 52 minutes ago Duration 1:33 Unsightly and unsafe derelict buildings and rubble-filled lots in Winnipeg could soon cost property owners a pretty penny. A new proposal at city hall wants to add new fines, as part of an effort to address complaints around the eyesores and speed up demolition projects.
