Manitoba's Capital Region Planning Process
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
KEY POINTS:
- The Province released Planning Manitoba's Capital Region: Next Steps on January 23, 2001. In it, the province announced its intent to adopt a regional plan for the Capital Region.
- The plan will guide land development decisions for the province, municipalities, planning districts, the public and other stakeholders.
- This will be a fully public process with significant input from the municipalities and the public.
Q. Why has the Province initiated a regional policy planning exercise?
Q. How will the regional policy plan address the Capital Region Review Panel Report's recommendations?
Q. How does this Capital Region initiative fit in with the Livestock Stewardship Panel's report?
Q. How does this Capital Region initiative fit in with the Drinking Water Advisory Committee's Final report?
Q. How does this Capital Region initiative fit in with Consultation on sustainable Development Initiative's (COSDI) Final report?
Q. Will all Capital Region municipalities be required to follow this plan?
Q. What process will be used to draw up the regional plan?
Q. Is this creating another layer of government - a regional government?
Q. Will the public and municipalities have a say in the formulation of the regional plan?
Q. Will this regional plan add more red tape to the land development approval process, replace local development plans, and fit in with the current Capital Region planning system?
Q. What is the role of the Regional Planning Advisory Committee (RPAC)?
Q. What is the role of the province in this process?
Q. Who will take the lead in this process?
Q. Which municipalities are included in the Capital Region?
Q. Will the province keep the name Capital Region?
Q. Can a municipality withdraw from the Capital Region if it decides it doesn't want to participate?
Q. What are the key issues facing the Capital Region?
Q. Is there enough information on the region to undertake this planning process?
Q. What is the population / area of the Capital Region?
Q. Will this regional planning concept be used elsewhere in Manitoba?
Q. How long will this process take?
Q. How much will it cost?
Q. Who are the seven members of the Regional Planning Advisory Committee?
Q. Where can I learn more?
Q. Why has the Province initiated a regional policy planning exercise?
A. Manitobans want to see provincial leadership guiding the Capital Region development. While municipalities (including the City of Winnipeg) and planning districts have been engaged in some excellent planning programs, they do lack regional planning context for land development. That will require provincial leadership and municipal co-operation.
The province has been asked to take a stronger role in the region. The province has identified a number several issues that must remain at the regional level.
The Consultation on Sustainable Development Initiative final report, released in June 1999, also recommended the province undertake large area planning. The Capital Region Review Panel's final report, released in December of 1999, also noted that a regional approach was important.
Q. How will the regional policy plan address the Capital Region Review Panel Report's recommendations?
A. The Capital Region Review Panel reported several weaknesses in existing legislation, policy and procedures guiding land use planning and development. It also noted some weaknesses in service delivery among Capital Region municipalities. The province agrees with the panel and accepts a regional approach is important.
The panel suggests regional problems can be addressed to allow municipalities to work together on solutions through such an association of municipalities should be voluntary and be supported by the province.
The panel recommended: statutory consistency, provincial departmental organization and administration, service-based budgeting, full-cost accounting and municipal costs and revenues.
Intergovernmental Affairs has reorganized to address regional issues. Because statutory consistency is appropriate where practical, the province will review planning legislation in Manitoba.
Intergovernmental Affairs will continue to research and collect useful data. It will also develop and maintain a database as part of a new Capital Region Web site.
Q. How does this Capital Region initiative fit in with the Livestock Stewardship Panel's report?
A. There is no conflict between the Livestock Stewardship Panel report recommendations and this initiative. Both suggest effective local planning, better data to support decisions and a review of processes to protect water.
Q. How does this Capital Region initiative fit in with the Drinking Water Advisory Committee's Final report?
A. Both initiatives recognize the critical importance of drinking water and the need to ensure water source protection.
Q. How does this Capital Region initiative fit in with Consultation on sustainable Development Initiative's (COSDI) Final report?
A. Both initiatives recommended consultative large area planning, the appointment of a regional planning advisory committee and the need for more information and better public access to it.
Q. Will all Capital Region municipalities be required to follow this plan?
A. The province intends the regional planning process be cooperative with significant input from all stakeholders, including the public and municipalities. To develop the best plan municipalities (including the Winnipeg) and planning districts will eventually develop their plans within the new regional planning framework.
Q. What process will be used to draw up the regional plan?
A. A Regional Planning Advisory Committee (RPAC) will be appointed. It will occasionally hold public meetings, open houses and workshops to collect input from the public and other stakeholders. RPAC will advise the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs on regional planning. Intergovernmental Affairs staff will draft the plan, and the province will be responsible for its adoption.
Q. Is this creating another layer of government - a regional government?
A. No. Regional planning will be led by the province. The Regional Planning Advisory Committee (RPAC) is an advisory group to the Minister. It is not a decision-making body and is only expected to exist for 18 months to two years.
Q. Will the public and municipalities have a say in the formulation of the regional plan?
A. Yes. There will be opportunities for input from the public, municipalities and other stakeholders. It may take the form of public open houses, public meetings, written submissions, etc. There is a a Web site for information and public response.
Q. Will this regional plan add more red tape to the land development approval process, replace local development plans, and fit in with the current Capital Region planning system?
A. No, it should not add red tape to the current land development approval processes.
Nor will regional planning replace local municipal and district development plans.
Regional planning will be implemented in a manner similar to the current Provincial Land Use Policies. Since every municipality in the Capital Region already have development plans, their land approval systems will remain essentially the same. However, when amending or doing their five-year reviews of development plans, the regional plan will guide citizens, stakeholders, municipalities and the province in land use decisions.
Q. What is the role of the Regional Planning Advisory Committee (RPAC)?
A. The province appointed the Regional Planning Advisory Committee (RPAC) to meet stakeholders, hold public meetings, open houses and workshops to stimulate public input. RPAC will advise the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. It may also recommend research priorities. Intergovernmental Affairs staff will provide planning staff support and serve as a secretariat to the RPAC.
RPAC is not another level of government and has no decision-making authority. It is expected to be in existence only during the regional plan creation process which is estimated to be 18 months to two years.
Q. What is the role of the province in this process?
A. The province appointed the Regional Planning Advisory Committee (RPAC) and will receive input from citizens, stakeholders, municipalities and planning districts. The province will also draft, adopt and implement the regional plan and approve all municipal and planning district development plans and their amendments. It is the approving authority for subdivisions in 11 of the Capital Region's 16 municipalities.
Q. Who will take the lead in this process?
A. Manitoba Intergovernmental Affairs' Community Land Use Planning Division is the lead agency. However, full interdepartmental input will be obtained.
Q. Which municipalities are included in the Capital Region?
A. The following 16 municipalities are in the Capital Region as currently defined by the government of Manitoba. (
see map) There are two cities, one town, and 13 rural municipalities (RMs):
- Cartier, RM
- East St. Paul, RM
- Headingley, RM
- Macdonald, RM
- Ritchot, RM
- Rockwood, RM
- Rosser, RM
- Selkirk, City
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- Springfield, RM
- St. Andrews, RM
- St. Clements, RM
- St. François Xavier, RM
- Stonewall, Town
- Taché, RM
- West St. Paul, RM
- Winnipeg, City
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The province will consider changes to the boundaries as it considers the regional planning process in the Capital Region.
Q. Will the province keep the name Capital Region?
A. The province is currently using Capital Region because it is most commonly used and recognized. Other names will be considered if the Regional Planning Advisory Committee (RPAC), municipalities
Q. Can a municipality withdraw from the Capital Region if it decides it doesn't want to participate?
A. The Capital Region is a geographical region identified by the province. It is not a volunteer association of municipalities like the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) or the Capital Region Mayors and Reeves Committee. It makes planning difficult if municipalities opt in and out at will. Advice on boundaries from the Regional Planning Advisory Committee (RPAC), municipalities, planning districts, citizens and other stakeholders will be considered.
Q. What are the key issues facing the Capital Region?
A. The province intends to listen to, and fully consider the views of the Regional Planning Advisory Committee (RPAC), the public, municipalities, planning districts and other stakeholders. It will do so prior to a final policy decision that will be contained in the regional plan. Some issues the province has identified are:
- drinking water and groundwater protection (including areas identified by the Drinking Water Committee)
- flooding and other hazards and nuisance
- agricultural land, livestock operations and soil protection
- uneven development in the region
- efficient use of existing infrastructure
- decline of parts of the central Winnipeg
- a regional perspective on development planning
Q. Is there enough information on the region to undertake this planning process?
A. While much work has been done there is still a need for timely, complete information. Good planning requires a solid base of information. Both the Capital Region Review Panel and the Consultation on Sustainable Development Initiative (COSDI) identified this issue. Research will be done as a part of the planning process in areas such as groundwater, servicing, lot supply and demand, population, etc. The Regional Planning Advisory Committee (RPAC) may also recommend additional research priorities. The province will post all relevant background research on the Capital Region Web site.
Q. What is the population / area of the Capital Region?
A. The population is about 706,000 (1996 Census), representing about 63% of Manitoba's population. The area is 7532 sq. km or about 1.2% of Manitoba's land base.
See attached sheet showing populations and areas of all of the Capital Region municipalities.
Q. Will this regional planning concept be used elsewhere in Manitoba?
A. The province does not intend to use it in other areas at this time. If it is practical at a later date, it may be used, perhaps in a modified version.
A large area planning exercise is planned for on the east side of Lake Winnipeg. The East Side Planning Initiative was announced by Conservation Minister Oscar Lathlin in August 2000. Due to the differing characteristics between the Capital Region and the East Side, the planning processes are not expected to be the same.
Q. How long will this process take?
A. It is estimated that the initial regional planning process may take up to two years, perhaps longer.
Q. How much will it cost?
A. The Department of Intergovernmental Affairs has allocated $275,000 for the Capital Region initiative in 2001/02, RPAC receives $50,000 of that. Actual regional plan costs will be known once the planning process has been more fully developed.
Q. Who are the seven members of the Regional Planning Advisory Committee?
A. Paul Thomas, Chair: A professor of political dtudies at the University of Manitoba, he has taught there since 1969. He holds a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Manitoba and a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. Thomas is an author and his current research is in leadership in the public sector. He has been a consultant to both the federal and provincial governments and has been on several previous Royal Commissions and task forces.
R.S. "Bud" Oliver: Mayor Oliver is chair of the International Coalition for Land and Water Stewardship in the Red River Basin. He is also vice-chair of the Red River Basin Board. Elected to the Council of the City of Selkirk in 1978, he is now serving his sixth consecutive term as mayor. He has also been a member of the Selkirk and Area Planning District Board since 1979 and has served as its Chair for 14 years. He is a past president and life member of the Manitoba Association of Urban Municipalities.
Robert "Bob" Stefaniuk: He served in the Royal Canadian Navy for three years and holds a B.A. in Economics and History from the University of Winnipeg and has a Certificate from the Canadian Institute of Management. Stefaniuk has been reeve of the Rural Municipality of Ritchot for six years. He serves on several other boards and committees.
Lillian Thomas: She holds a B.A. in Sociology from Lakehead University and an M.A. from the University of Manitoba. Thomas has been a councillor for the City of Winnipeg Elmwood Ward, since 1989. She is currently deputy mayor of Winnipeg. She served many boards and committees including: Winnipeg Art Gallery Board, Winnipeg Council Committee on Planning and Community Services, International Coalition for Land and Water Stewardship - Red River Basin, Manitoba Association of Urban Municipalities, Riverbank Management Committee, Waste Minimization Committee, Winnipeg Housing Rehabilitation Committee, and Winnipeg Regional Implementation Team.
Nick Carter: He served as deputy minister in the Natural Resources Department of Manitoba from 1979 to 1987. Prior to that he also served as deputy minister of Northern Affairs and deputy minister of Environment for the Saskatchewan government. He is past chair of the Manitoba Environment Council and the Manitoba Hazardous Waste Management Corporation. He was most recently a member of the Manitoba Livestock Stewardship Panel.
Cathy Auld: Currently the director of Donor Relations and Corporate Secretary for the Winnipeg Foundation, Auld holds a B.A. from the University of Winnipeg and a Masters of City Planning from the University of Manitoba. She developed a youth philanthropy program for Winnipeg high school students and is the former program manager of the Winnipeg Core Area Initiative. Auld is also a member of several Boards and community groups and a former member of the Manitoba Municipal Board.
Eleanor Thompson: She is the founder/director of the Urban Circle Training Centre. Thompson has also been a researcher with the Canadian Museum of Civilization and was the co-founder/director of the Maskwa Project - Rural Centre for Alternate Technologies. She has been a member of several boards and committees including: the Manitoba Law Foundation and is a founding executive board member of the Community Education Development Agency (CEDA).
Q. Where can I learn more?
A. The Capital Region Web site will be continuously posting data and information about the Capital Region. The site can be reached by going to the government of Manitoba's living in Manitoba page
http://www.gov.mb.ca/living.html or, by going directly to the Web site itself
http://www.gov.mb.ca/ia/capreg.
Manitoba Intergovernmental Affairs
January, 2001
