Mayor Brian Bowman still holds out hope for growth fees in 2017

Mayor Brian Bowman says he remains hopeful Winnipeg could start charging growth fees in 2017, but he's open to dollar figures lower than those proposed by city finance officials.

A plan to begin charging fees next year is on hold while property committee chairJohn Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry) holds more talks with other councillors, developers and the construction industry.

Last week, Orlikowtold reporters it would be absurd to have a deal in place in time for Jan. 1, as recommended by the city's corporate finance department.

On Tuesday, Bowman suggested it's still possible fees could be charged later in 2017, depending on what he hears from Orlikow.

"The public service's recommendation speaks to fees being collected later in the year, but that the bylaw would be in force as of January. We'll have discussions as to whether or not that's followed by EPC and ultimately council," the mayor said following a special closed-door meeting of executive policy committee.

Bowman also said he would be open to charging fees lower than the ones proposed by the finance department in a report that came before executive policy committee last week.

"Right now, I'm listening," the mayor said.

Those fees were roughly equal to $1,000 for every 100square feet of space in a new residential development. Fees are also proposed for commercial and industrial developments.

Executive policy committee voted last week to put the plan on hold indefinitely, pending the result of Orlikow's consultations.

Developers appeared before the executive policy committeeto question the data used by a city-commissioned consultant that concluded new developments do not pay for themselves. They also took issue with the proposed timeline for implementing new fees and requested more consultation.

The mayor and Orlikow have also taken issue with aspects of the plan, which offersno exemptions for infill development and would give the city's chief financial officer the power to decide which infrastructure projects would be eligible for funding using the proceeds of the new fees.

Theclosed-door EPC meeting on Tuesday took place during Right to Know Week, which is held toraise awareness of an individual's right to access government information. Bowman said the irony was not lost on him.