Last week I submitted the column below to the Winnipeg Free Press for consideration in their editorial pages.

Should the column not see the light of day yet in their publication, I thought I would post it below for anyone interested in learning more about the issue.

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It's About More Than Just A Traffic Study

Why is the Canadian Taxpayers Federation worried about a traffic study for the new fire hall on Portage Ave?

Did we suddenly become traffic engineers?

No, we’re not traffic engineers. We’ve pushed hard for disclosure of the report because the issue is about more than just a traffic study. It’s about accountability at city hall.

If you’re not entirely familiar with the traffic study issue, it involves the city’s unique decision to build a new fire hall inside the traffic cloverleaf at Route 90 and Portage Ave. No other cloverleaf in Winnipeg has development inside it.

In the fall of 2012, when the Winnipeg Free Press and others were uncovering all kinds of problems with the four new fire halls being built in Winnipeg, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation received a tip from a contact. It was alleged that city staff had serious traffic safety concerns about the city building a fire hall in the middle of a traffic cloverleaf.

We filed a freedom of information request with the city to try and get a copy of the report, but were stonewalled; the city claimed the report was confidential.

The refusal sent up a red flag for us. What could be so secretive about a traffic study for a fire hall? We filed an appeal with the Ombudsman’s office and thankfully they concluded the city had the power to release the report.

Yet, almost a year and a half after our initial request, we’re still waiting to see the report. That’s concern number one. The public paid for the report so the public deserves to see it. If city hall can get away with keeping something so simple (or is it?) as a traffic study for a fire hall under lock and key, what will be the next thing they refuse to release?

Thanks to a column by Bartley Kives of the Free Press, we know the tip we received had merit. Mr. Kives noted in a February 13 column that city staff confided that they there were indeed concerns about the location of the fire hall. But as the traffic study is still not public, we’re not sure what recommendations the author of the report (Stantec Consulting) put forward to ensure the site is safe, or if they were enacted.

Would it really be a stretch to assume that those who decided to build the new Taylor Ave fire hall on someone else’s land may have also cut corners with the Portage Ave fire hall?

Second, the whole fire hall audit situation was a mess. A debacle. Whatever you want to call it, it should have served as a wake-up call to council. Yet, as of today not a single member of council appears to be able to say, “I read the report and spoke to staff. All traffic safety concerns have been addressed. Period.”

Third, why on earth hasn’t someone from the administration said to councillors who are pushing to see the study – “I’ll get the report for you.”

It seems to be a growing problem that the men and women we have elected to council often can’t get the basic information they need to do their jobs. That should be of great concern to all Winnipeggers.

And let’s be clear, no one wants the traffic study to be released only to find there are safety concerns that haven’t been addressed. Everyone wants the new $6 million fire hall to serve taxpayers well.

But clearly, the traffic study issue is part of a much bigger problem at city hall – a lack of accountability. It’s time for city hall to put out that fire.

Photo Source: Winnipeg Sun