Premier Kinew’s Opt-Out Offer for the WMR Falls Short of True Transparency and Democracy

Premier Wab Kinew’s recent announcement allowing municipalities to opt out of the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region (WMR) plan is a step in the right direction, but it doesn’t go nearly far enough to restore transparency and uphold democratic principles. The WMR, designed to coordinate regional planning and development, has become a source of confusion and concern, not just among the public, but also among the very leaders of the municipalities involved.

The WMR: A Flawed Concept

Over the past several months, it has become clear that very few Manitobans, including many of the mayors, reeves, and councillors of the municipalities involved, fully understand what the WMR is or the profound impact it has on their lives.

What started in 2001 as a potentially beneficial idea has morphed into a problematic and opaque entity. The WMR plan now echoes global agendas and UN-sanctioned policies that are disconnected from the realities of life in Manitoba.

Imported Policies, Local Misfits

The current WMR plan promotes policies developed far from Manitoba’s borders—policies that might be suitable elsewhere but are not necessarily appropriate or safe for our province. The adoption of these policies without proper local adaptation has transformed what could have been a useful framework into a tool that removes local autonomy and imposes external ideologies on Manitobans.

Democratic Deficits in the WMR Board

One of the most glaring issues is the democratic deficit inherent in the WMR Board's composition. Eight of the 18 board members were elected by acclamation, meaning they never received a single vote from their constituents. This lack of electoral mandate is deeply concerning, especially when these individuals are entrusted with making decisions that could fundamentally alter the governance and development of the entire region. How can we trust a board to represent the people’s interests when nearly half of its members have not been directly elected?

Vague Promises and Empty Rhetoric

The WMR 20-50 plan is riddled with vague promises and statements that lack substance. Instead of providing concrete actions or outlining specific benefits, the plan is filled with clichés and pays homage to various special interest groups.

It repeatedly suggests that Manitoba is at risk of falling behind without adopting this plan, but it offers little evidence to support this claim. The idea that businesses will avoid Manitoba unless this plan is adopted is not just unsubstantiated—it’s absurd.

What businesses actually want is straightforward: good roads, an educated workforce, certainty in permitting, competitive energy prices, low taxes, and access to raw materials and resources. None of these essentials are adequately addressed in the WMR 20-50 report. Instead, the report recycles old political rhetoric without offering real solutions. The plan does not reflect the needs of Manitobans or address the practical challenges that businesses and communities face in our province.

To understand more about the WMR, please visit our webpage:

https://www.manitobastrongertogether.ca/wmr20-50

Manitobans Demand

Given these serious concerns, the people of Manitoba are making several demands:

1. Full Financial Accounting: The provincial government must provide a full accounting of how much taxpayer money has been spent on the WMR over the past decade. Manitobans deserve to know where their money has gone and what it has been used for.

2. Repeal and Replace the Law: The current WMR legislation must be repealed. In its place, a new plan must be developed—one that is grounded in common sense, written by Manitobans for Manitobans, and free from the undue influence of external agendas. This new plan should prioritize the unique needs and values of our province, and be true ot the original mandate and that is to coordinate and streamline the development and permitting process.

3. Mandatory Referendums for Opt-Out: If the government insists on allowing municipalities to opt out of the WMR, this decision must not be left to municipal councils alone. Instead, referendums should be held to allow the residents of each municipality to decide whether they wish to be part of the WMR. This ensures that the people, not just the elected officials, have a say in their community’s future.

4. JohnQ Public: Manitobans are demanding full transparency concerning the activities of the JohnQ Public organization, how they are funded, who is involved, what projects they have undertaken, what projects have they completed, under what rules and authorities are they acting, and much more.

5. Message to Municipal Leaders: To the mayors, reeves, and councillors of the municipalities involved: There is an election coming in the next two years. The people of Manitoba are waking up to what has been happening with the WMR. It was your job to represent your constituents, it was your job to inform your constituents, many of you did neither. Remember that your constituents will be watching closely, and they will not forget how their interests are represented—or ignored—in the coming weeks. Tread carefully, for accountability is coming.

Conclusion: A Call for Bold Action

We commend Premier Kinew for taking the first step toward amending the WMR 20-50 plan.

However, this is only a first step.

What Manitoba needs now is bold leadership—leadership that is willing to scrap the current plan and start anew.

Premier Kinew, this is your opportunity to send a clear and bold message to all Manitobans: that Manitoba embraces common sense, that Manitobans are capable of creating solutions by and for Manitobans, and that Manitoba is a great place to live, work, do business, and raise a family.

Let’s chart our own course, one that benefits all Manitobans, not just special interest groups in Geneva.

Premier Kinew, surely not much has changed in the WMR since May 20, 2021, when you and your entire NDP members of the legialture voted against Bill 37 which has since been passed into law as The Planning Amendment and City of Winnipeg Charter Amendment Act. Now is the time to stand by your original decision to scrap this law, the voters of Manitoba understood your opposition to the bill then, and they expect you to honour that commitment now. Following is an excerpt from the vote to the pass Bill 37:

Hon. Mr. JOHNSON moved:

THAT Bill (No. 37) – The Planning Amendment and City of Winnipeg Charter Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur l'aménagement du territoire et la Charte de la ville de Winnipeg, as amended and reported from the Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development, be concurred in and be now read for a Third Time and passed.

And a debate arising,

And Hon. Mr. JOHNSON, Messrs. WIEBE and LAMONT having spoken,

And the Question being put. It was agreed to, on the following division:

YEA

CLARKE

COX

CULLEN

EICHLER

EWASKO

FIELDING

FRIESEN

GOERTZEN

GORDON

GUENTER

GUILLEMARD

HELWER

ISLEIFSON

JOHNSON

LAGASSÉ

LAGIMODIERE

MARTIN

MICHALESKI

MICKLEFIELD

NESBITT

PALLISTER

PEDERSEN

REYES

SCHULER

SMITH (Lagimodière)

SMOOK

SQUIRES

TEITSMA

WHARTON

WOWCHUK ..................................... 30 Yea

NAY

ADAMS

ALTOMARE

ASAGWARA

BRAR

BUSHIE

FONTAINE

GERRARD

KINEW

LAMONT

LAMOUREUX

LATHLIN

LINDSEY

MALOWAY

MARCELINO

MOSES

NAYLOR

SALA

SANDHU

SMITH (Point Douglas)

WASYLIW

WIEBE ............................................ 21Nay

The Bill was accordingly concurred in, read a Third Time and passed.