WINNIPEG: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is urging the City of Winnipeg's Executive Policy Committee (EPC) to recommend an amendment to Plan Winnipeg which would designate Waverley West as a neighbourhood policy area.

"Waverley West is a planned neighbourhood that will not only help alleviate Winnipeg's housing shortage, but also be a financial boon to both the city and province," stated CTF Manitoba Director Adrienne Batra. "We can no longer ignore the fact there are only 590 housing lots remaining in the southwest quadrant of the city and with growing demands for housing starts, limiting the supply will only drive costs up."

Waverley West consists of approximately 2400 acres of land, fifty per cent owned by the province of Manitoba, and the remaining fifty percent by Ladco Limited, the Drew Foundation and the University of Manitoba. "A majority of the costs for this project are covered by Ladco Company with civic taxpayers responsible for half of the arterial roads and extending the sanitary trunk sewers for a price of nearly $30 million," said Batra.

Two cost benefit analysis studies conducted on Waverley West show that small investments in the suburbs create large revenue streams for the city. "Both the ND Lea and City of Winnipeg's analysis show significant financial gains, $200 million and $71 million respectively in property tax revenue over the next 80 years," added Batra, "with the potential for crucial economic growth, EPC must look at the long term benefits of the proposal."

City growth planning will need to be addressed given the province's aggressive immigration strategy the Province of Manitoba has embarked upon. "Over 7,000 immigrants came to Manitoba last year and according to Statistics Canada, a majority these immigrants to the province are living in the suburbs working as skilled trades people, professionals and- Waverley West helps give a choice as to where they want to raise their families," concluded Batra.





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