Quick Start: How Winnipeg Works#

A primer on Winnipeg’s government structure and planning framework for urbanists and advocates.

City Government Structure#

Winnipeg operates under the City of Winnipeg Charter (The City of Winnipeg Charter Act, SM 2002, c. 39), a provincial statute that grants Winnipeg broader powers than other Manitoba municipalities. The city uses a strong-mayor, ward-based council model.

City Council Composition#

The Council consists of fifteen ward councillors and a mayor:

• The mayor is elected city-wide for a four-year term
• Each of the 15 councillors represents one of 15 electoral wards
• Councillors serve four-year terms; general elections are held on the fourth Wednesday of October every four years
• The most recent general election was held in October 2022

Councillors have a dual role: they act on matters affecting the whole city through Council, and on local matters through Community Committees (groups of five wards each).

Meeting Schedule: Full Council meetings are held at Winnipeg City Hall (510 Main Street). Agendas and meeting minutes are posted at clkapps.winnipeg.ca.

Community Committees#

The city’s 15 wards are grouped into three Community Committees of five wards each:

• Riel Community Committee (south and southeast Winnipeg)
• Assiniboia Community Committee (west and northwest Winnipeg)
• Mynarski Community Committee (north and central Winnipeg)

Community Committees handle local planning and development matters, including rezonings and development variances in their area.

Boards and Commissions#

Key bodies relevant to urbanism:

• Standing Policy Committee on Property and Development, Heritage, and Downtown Development — Oversees land use planning, heritage, and downtown revitalization
• Standing Policy Committee on Infrastructure Renewal and Public Works — Oversees transportation, transit, and cycling/pedestrian infrastructure
• Winnipeg Public Service Appeal Board — Hears appeals of certain administrative decisions
• Historical Buildings Committee — Reviews demolition permits for buildings with heritage designation potential

Planning Framework#

OurWinnipeg 2045#

OurWinnipeg 2045 is the City of Winnipeg’s development plan — the highest-level policy document guiding land use, growth, and community development through 2045. It was adopted by Council following a major update process completed in 2021.

OurWinnipeg 2045 establishes the city’s long-term vision: by 2040, Winnipeg is expected to grow by more than 160,000 people, add 83,000 new jobs, and require approximately 82,000 new housing units.

Complete Communities Direction Strategy 2.0#

Complete Communities 2.0 is the companion land use strategy to OurWinnipeg 2045. It guides where and how growth happens across the city, directing the highest residential and employment densities to areas best served by transit.

Key principles:

• Directing density to transit corridors and nodes
• Enabling infill development in mature neighbourhoods
• Requiring new greenfield development to be phased to match infrastructure capacity
• Establishing residential intensification targets

Zoning By-law#

Winnipeg’s Zoning By-law No. 200/2006 governs how land can be used and what can be built in each zone. The by-law is currently being comprehensively rewritten — a new by-law is targeted for completion by 2027.

In the meantime, the city is making Rapid Zoning Amendments to address urgent housing supply issues:

• July 2024: Amendments allowing secondary suites and up to three-unit dwellings in established neighbourhoods
• June 2025: City-wide infill housing amendments allowing fourplexes as-of-right in most residential zones, with height bonuses near frequent transit

Downtown Winnipeg Zoning By-law#

The Downtown Winnipeg Zoning By-law is a separate by-law governing the downtown core, administered alongside the main Zoning By-law. It allows for higher-density mixed-use development and has specific provisions for heritage buildings in the Exchange District.

Participation Opportunities#

1. Attend City Council meetings and Community Committee meetings (agendas at clkapps.winnipeg.ca)
2. Submit written comments on development applications via the city’s online portal
3. Participate in public hearings for rezonings and development variances
4. Engage with Engage Winnipeg for active consultations
5. Follow planning updates on the City of Winnipeg Planning page
6. Connect with advocacy organizations: Bike Winnipeg, YIMBY Winnipeg, and neighbourhood associations

Key Facts#

Last updated: March 2026