Bowman remains mum on growth-fee timeline

Mayor Brian Bowman remainedmum about the future of Winnipeg's proposed growth-fee plan when he was questioned about the controversial proposal on the floor of council on Wednesday morning.

Members of council met today for the first time since the summer break. During question period, Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt asked Bowman when Winnipeg will see "a balanced, well-thought-out" growth-fee policy that will replace the widely dislikedplan that executive policy committee put on hold last week.

Wyatt called Bowman "courageous" for raising the idea but asked whether the mayor intends to see some sort of fees charged in 2017.

Bowman responded by noting he is waiting to hear the results of consultations held by council property chairman John Orlikow(River Heights-Fort Garry) before considering any timeline for growth fees.

"I think it would be premature," Bowman said.

There wasno growth-fee vote today.City council did approvea plan to take some of the guesswork out of its disclosure of Winnipeg public servant salaries.

Council voted unanimously toimprove the transparency ofthe city's annual compensation disclosure,a list of payouts to all employees who earn more than $50,000 a year in salaries and benefits.

The document displayscompensationas a single lump sum. That leads to questions about city employees' earnings, especially since someappear to make much more money than others in the same job classification. For example, formerWinnipeg acting chief administratorDeepakJoshiearned $567,000 for several weeks of work in 2015.

Coun. ScottGillingham(St. James-Brooklands-Weston)authored themotion, which callsfor the compensation to be broken down into its constituent categories, such as base pay,additional pay,sick-leave cashouts,vacation pay, overtime, allowances andseverance.

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Councillorsalso voted Wednesday to approvea symbolic motion to ask the Pallister government to consider downtown Winnipeg when and if Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries decides to build a new headquarters.Liquor and Lotteries cancelled a $75-million conversion of the Medical Arts Buildinglast week.

• Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries scraps $75M relocation plan

In other unanimous votes, councillorsapproved $2 million worth of grants for a pair of downtown condo projects,the abolition of library late fees for kids' books and a$310,000deal to settle a human rights complaint filed on behalf ofsenior Handi-Transit users.

• City settles human rights complaint filed by senior Handi-Transit users

Council also voted 14-2 to approve a new loan guarantee policy that will exclude for-profit businesses.CouncillorsRuss Wyatt (Transcona) and JasonSchreyer(Elmwood-EastKildonan) voted against it.