The City of Winnipeg is looking to possibility charge a growth fee to anyone looking to build a brand new home.
Mayor Brian Bowman believes there isn’t enough revenue coming into the city and that it has to come from somewhere. Either everyone has to pay higher property tax to pay for infrastructure… or a few people will have to pay higher prices to build a new home.
Bowman believes that growth fees are one way to ensure growth pays for growth and infrastructure cost should’t solely come from property tax payers.
“If you look at our infrastructure, you look at the structural operating deficit, the numbers don’t add up. The choice I believe is higher property taxes for existing homeowners or regulatory growth fees for those that choose to build,” said Brian Bowman.
He is currently in consultation with industry representatives to possibly introduce a growth fee that will pay for infrastructure costs associated with new developments.
