On September 12th, City Councillors met to consider whether to rezone five City-owned properties to allow for the construction of non-profit supportive housing with rents geared to income. The public hearing and decision was postponed to a special meeting to be held on October 20th, 2025.
The proposal: The properties, located in Daniel MacIntyre, Transcona, Mynarski, River Heights-Fort Garry, and Old Kildonan, are planned to provide between 80-115 total units of subsidized housing with on-site support services. The sites will be sold for one dollar or leased for 99 years for one dollar to non-profits to provide housing. The City intends to prioritize Winnipeggers from groups hard-hit by housing insecurity and homelessness, including refugees, people leaving hospitals, youth exiting care, people at risk of or survivors of gender-based violence, people with mental health concerns, and people leaving homelessness. The Provincial government is expected to provide ongoing housing and operating funding.
The Right to Housing Coalition strongly supports this proposal. We will be attending the hearing on October 20th to show our support, but it is equally, if not more important that City Council hear from you. The proposal has faced community opposition from residents, sometimes using discriminatory language about people who are homeless or living on low incomes. Our City Councillors need to hear from residents who value inclusive neighbourhoods where all our neighbours who need supports and rent-geared-to-income housing are able to find a home. Please take a moment to send a pre-drafted message to City Council by filling the form below. You can add your own personal comments as well.
Send our letter to City Council
You can also register to speak or submit written comments (by noon on Friday, October 17th) directly to the Standing Policy Committee on Property and Development Hearing considering the rezoning. If approved at the special meeting on October 20th, the rezoning will still need to be approved by the full City Council at a later meeting.
