Portage la Prairie's City Council has endorsed a resolution going to the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) calling for a third-party review of the Manitoba Municipal Board, which oversees issues like land use planning, borrowing approvals, and bylaw changes. City Councilor Joe Masi explains the proposed review is intended to evaluate the board’s mandate, role, processes and functions to address costly delays and outdated practices affecting municipalities across the province.
The resolution, developed in collaboration with the Manitoba Municipal Administrators (MMA) and AMM, stems from increasing concerns about the inefficiencies in the Manitoba Municipal Board's operations. According to the report read at the September 23rd Portage City Council meeting, these inefficiencies have led to significant delays in approvals for land use, planning, and borrowing, resulting in higher costs for municipalities.
City Councillor and Finance Chair Joe Masi emphasizes that the goal is not to criticize the staff at the municipal board but to reassess outdated procedures.
“This is not about the staff there, they are excellent” Masi said. “The staff are following the Act, their mandate, the regulations. This is about doing an outside review, saying, ‘In this day and age, do we need all the processes we currently have?’”
Masi explains a third-party review is critical to ensure an objective and thorough examination of these processes.
“The reason for a third-party review is so that it can be an objective look from the outside,” Masi said, noting that internal reviews in the past had not fully addressed fundamental issues. He explained that an independent evaluation could lead to improvements, possibly even identifying areas where the municipal board needs more resources to do its job effectively.
One example Masi provided highlights the financial impact delays can have on municipalities. He explained how Portage la Prairie nearly missed out on a favourable borrowing rate for a major infrastructure project on Saskatchewan Avenue. The city secured a good interest rate, but the offer was time-sensitive, with the lender only holding the rate for a limited period. To finalize the loan, the city needed approval from the municipal board—a process that took longer than anticipated.
“We submitted the loan to the municipal board hoping for a quick turnaround, but there was a delay,” Masi said. “If we hadn’t managed to secure the approval in time, we would have been forced to renegotiate the loan, likely at a much higher interest rate.”
Masi noted that the city ultimately secured the approval just in time, but the situation underscored how such delays could lead to significant financial losses. “It could have cost us a lot of money if we had to renegotiate the loan,” he added. “And that’s just one example. There are other municipalities across the province facing similar challenges.”
One of the core ideas driving the resolution is the recognition of municipalities as a mature order of government. Masi explains municipal governments are increasingly capable of managing their own finances and operations without excessive oversight. “We believe as a mature order of government, we can handle things,” he said. “Give us money, help us work with you to build our economy, but we need to review the extent of oversight that exists today.”
Masi anticipates that the resolution will receive strong attention at the AMM convention in November 2024.
“I think this will be given a high priority; it affects the day-to-day operations of municipalities. Delays mean higher costs, and communities waiting for economic development or infrastructure upgrades can’t afford to wait months for approvals.”
If passed at the convention, the resolution will be forwarded to the provincial government for further consideration. Although the process may take time, Masi is hopeful that the review will lead to necessary improvements. “At the end of the day, we all want the same thing: improvements to the Municipal Board, so that there’s no delay, no additional cost for municipalities and so our residents get the best value for the taxes they pay.”