Housing Supply
always the chance the impending developments will be met with criticism from neighbouring resi- dents. That’s why MHBA members ensure transpar- ent conversations are had even before their initial applications go in, McInnes says. “I think it’s understandable that change can be something that people are apprehensive about and unsure of. Our members, especially when it comes to infill development, go above and beyond to talk to the neighbouring residents to inform them of what’s being proposed and discuss their concerns. Sometimes it’s just a fear of change and an apprehension of what pos- sibly could happen,” he says. “We understand that, and you will never satisfy everyone’s concerns, but having that communication with the residents of that neighbourhood is a key piece and our leading members who do work in that area make sure it’s a component of the work that they do even before an application goes in on a project.”
In terms of addressing bureaucratic barriers, McInnes says positive work has been taking place for the last few years that will pay dividends in terms of making it easier to build housing. For one, the Housing Accelerator Fund, a $4.4-bil- lion Government of Canada initiative, kick-started a lot of the work that municipalities were already looking at. Winnipeg has also removed unnecessary requirements for development permits and launched a comprehensive rewrite of its zoning bylaw that will modernize the bylaw for stability and clarity as to what can be built and where. “Within the city, that’s going to be very helpful as we move forward and address some of the bureau- cratic barriers and hoops that builders and develop- ers go through in order to build what the market is needing,” McInnes says. Even when the seemingly most significant requirements for new home builds are met, there’s
Oak Bluff West
54 FALL 2026 PARADE of HOMES | homebuilders.mb.ca
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