Housing Speaker Series
"Housing is a cornerstone of healthy communities and of a strong city; it is a basic need and is central to our quality of life. The City of Winnipeg is forecasting significant population growth over the next 25 years, and housing solutions will be needed to accommodate this growth. We need to plan for new homes and for the upkeep and efficient use of existing homes." (OurWinnipeg)
Housing is a complex and multi-faceted issue. Winnipeg's diversity of needs, both now and in the future, demands attention to ensure our population is adequately housed. A range of different housing types and levels of affordability is important to this goal. To this aim, the City of Winnipeg is pleased to offer a "Housing Speaker Series" from which to engage the public on important housing issues and explore opportunities. Each Series will focus on a specific topic of interest where Winnipeggers will hear from experts in the field of housing. Sessions will be provided free of charge, but registration is required due to space limitations.
Please bookmark this page and check back regularly to learn about upcoming workshops.
Session 3: Infill Housing
November 18, 2017
The City of Winnipeg hosted a panel discussion on infill housing development. This important approach to development maximizes use of existing infrastructure, increases density and housing variety that supports local businesses and services, and often creates better opportunity to access a variety of transportation options. Infill development can also pose challenges for developers and requires that careful consideration be given to neighbourhood dynamics.
This session explored the benefits and challenges of infill development, as well as experiences of those who have engaged in this process. It attracted individuals and builders considering infill development, housing advocates, and the general public.
Speakers and their respective topics were:
Kurtis Kowalke
Senior Planner, City of Winnipeg, Planning, Property and Development
Infill development from a planning perspective and how it can benefit the city.
View Kurtis' PowerPoint presentation
Carla Richmond
Osborne Village resident and President, River Osborne Community Centre
Infill development from a neighbourhood and community perspective.
Robert Mensies
Infill Homeowner
Infill development from a homeowner perspective.
Carla Devlin
Property Developer, Carrington Property Development
Infill development from a developer’s perspective.
Elise Finnigan
Planner, City of Winnipeg, Planning, Property and Development
Processes to follow for gaining approvals from the City for an infill development.
View Elise's PowerPoint presentation
Session 2: Refugee Housing
June 14, 2017
The City of Winnipeg hosted a panel of experts to share information about Refugee Housing in our city. Discussion focused on the housing and support needs of refugees coming to Winnipeg, and provided information on what current actions are being taken. Participants heard from panellists who are actively involved in the provision of housing and services for refugees and learned about how organizations and ordinary citizens can assist in the process. Presentations from panellists were followed by a question and answer period.
Panellists:
Carolyn Ryan
Executive Director of Portfolio Management, Manitoba Housing
Carolyn provided a brief overview of Winnipeg's housing market, as well as the provincial response to refugee claimants.
Abdikheir Ahmed
Director, Immigration Partnership Winnipeg
Abdi has a Master's degree in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. He immigrated to Canada in 2003 and earned a BA in International Development from the University of Winnipeg in 2006.
The Immigration Partnership Winnipeg works to create an inclusive welcoming community for immigrants and refugees in Winnipeg. They work with the three levels of government, other stakeholders including settlement service providers, educational institutions, health, business and ethnocultural communities.
Carlos Vialard
Site Director, Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba (IRCOM) Inc.
Carlos has worked in the immigrant and refugee settlement sector for 30 years, with roles including management of a temporary reception facility for government-assisted refugees, and assisting thousands of individuals and families in moving into their first permanent homes in Winnipeg. He is a founding member and first president of a provincial settlement sector association which was the precursor to the Manitoba Association of Newcomer Serving Agencies.
IRCOM is a non-profit organization that operates a transitional housing complex in downtown Winnipeg, and offers secure, affordable and clean apartments to newcomer families for up to three years after their arrival.
Boris Ntambwe
Coordonnateur PAR & Logements (RAP & Housing Coordinator), Société franco-manitobaine/Accueilfrancophone
Boris fled his home country in 2003 and was a refugee in Uganda. He came to Canada as Government Assisted Refugee in 2005. He work experience includes scheduling and booking of shipments and transportation for international routes; property management; administration; and immigration process and settlement.
L'Accueil francophone, one of the Société franco-manitobaine's initiatives, welcomes francophone immigrants to Manitoba, and helps immigrants and/or refugees through the process of settling in. The organization provides advice with housing and employment and how to obtain services such as health coverage, transportation, and access to community programs and services.
Mwumvaneza Azarias Butariho
Housing Advisor, New Journey Housing
New Journey Housing is a housing resource centre for newcomers to Canada. The organization offers housing related information, advice, support and workshops (rental, home purchasing and managing your money) for newcomers to Canada who live in Manitoba, free of charge.
Session 1: Secondary Suites Panel Discussion
February 25, 2017
The City of Winnipeg hosted an interactive panel discussion about building Secondary Suites. Participants learned about attached and detached secondary suites, building code requirements, zoning considerations, property assessment implications, and details of the Province of Manitoba's financial incentive program.
Panelists were (with presentations linked where applicable):
- Noah Yauk, Planner, City of Winnipeg
- Alan Mingaracal, Plan Examination, City of Winnipeg
- Shannon Greer, Manager, Renovation and Homeowner Delivery, Province of Manitoba
- Steven Ulrich, JSU Properties
- Chris Loewen, Garage Masters
- Brad Sveinson, Character Homes
- Kelly Shields, Deputy City Assessor, City of Winnipeg