Structure and Performance of the Legislation
Improve planning and decision-making processes in Manitoba by collaborating with stakeholders and addressing their concerns.
Theme Status Summary:
· Total Planned Actions: 9
· Completed: 3
· Underway: 4
· Upcoming: 2
· Future: 0
Action: Continue to seek key stakeholder input through a working group chaired by the Assistant Deputy Minister, Community Planning and Development Division, to identify and provide guidance on priority legislative and policy changes in response to the recommendations of the statutory review
Underway – What’s New: The Department met with the working group four times in Spring 2025 to go over the report, talk about what’s important to all members and look at ideas for moving forward. They met again in September and October 2025 to look at the action plan and talk about projects from the plan. The Working Group will keep meeting regularly while the plan is being carried out. Members include Association of Manitoba Municipalities, Manitoba Municipal Administrators, City of Winnipeg, City of Brandon, Urban Development Institute, Manitoba Homebuilders, Winnipeg Metropolitan Region.
Legislative Changes to Support Winnipeg’s Process Improvements – Underway
Action: Document legislative, regulatory or policy changes needed to support implementation of the City of Winnipeg’s “End-to-End Review of The Development Process”
Underway – What’s New: In Spring/Summer 2025, the City of Winnipeg’s consultant talked to the Department to gather their thoughts and ideas.
Threshold for Zoning By-Law Public Appeals – Complete
Action: Adopt legislation to change the threshold for public appeals of zoning by-law changes to speed up housing approvals
Complete – What’s New: The Manitoba Government passed Bill 3 (The City of Winnipeg Charter Amendment and Planning Amendment Act) on June 3, 2025. This law is now in effect.
Voluntary Membership in the Capital Planning Region – Complete
Action: Adopt legislation to enable voluntary membership in the Capital Planning Region (CPR) and reset the process for CPR to adopt its first regional plan
Complete – What’s New: The Manitoba Government passed Bill 4 (The Planning Amendment Act) on June 3, 2025. This law is now in effect.
Legislative Amendments to Address Key Issues – Underway
Action: Table a bill of legislative changes to address key issues identified by stakeholders, including:
· Standardizing language and concepts between the Planning Act and City of Winnipeg Charter
· Enhancing local autonomy by removing the powers of the planning region to expropriate land, to seek court injunctions against member municipalities’ by-laws and to require that the regional plan take effect immediately
Underway – What’s New: Based on carefully reading the consultant’s final report, the Department is working with legislative drafters on potential changes for a Spring 2026 Bill introduction as well as potential changes to the Capital Planning Regulation.
Contact for Legislative Inquiries – Complete
Action: Designate the Provincial Planning Branch of the Community Planning and Development Division as the primary contact for inquires on planning legislation and communicate to stakeholders
Complete – What’s New: The Department added the Provincial Planning Branch’s contact details to the Municipal and Northern Relations website.
Additional Training Materials on Land Use Planning and Development – Upcoming
Action: Develop any additional training/ resources required based on stakeholder input on gaps in the training the Department currently offers (through the annual Manitoba Planning Conference, workshops, webinars, etc.)
Update Existing Planning Guides – Upcoming
Action: Update Planning Guides, including the Planning Act Handbook to include areas that require clarification (e.g. reasons for rejection, completeness of application, clarifying appeal and referral procedure)
Enhance Municipal and Northern Relations’ Website – Underway
Action: Enhance the Municipal and Northern Relations’ website to improve accessibility, ease of use, and information provided on Manitoba’s land use planning framework
Underway – What’s New: The Department is working on updating its website to make sure the pages are easy to use and give helpful information about land use planning.
This webpage was written with the help of Microsoft Copilot.