ManitobaWinnipeg’s mayor says a ruling by the Manitoba Municipal Board could have significant implications for how the city develops its own land, while a councillor says he’s concerned the decision “creates a dangerous precedent.”Manitoba Municipal Board ruling says club must be satisfied with parking planCameron MacLean · CBC News · Posted: Nov 17, 2025 7:44 PM EST | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.The Granite Curling Club appealed a city council decision approving a rezoning and subdivision plan to allow for the construction of this proposed 111-unit apartment building, as shown in an artist’s rendering, on the parking lot next to the club. (UWCRC 2.0)Winnipeg’s mayor says a ruling by the Manitoba Municipal Board could have significant implications for how the city develops its own land, while a councillor says he’s concerned the decision “creates a dangerous precedent.”The provincially appointed body gave the Granite Curling Club a decisive say over a proposed affordable housing project next door in a ruling on Friday.Winnipeg city council approved a rezoning and subdivision plan for a new 111-unit apartment building beside the curling club earlier this year. The plan calls for a mix of rent-geared-to-income, affordable and market-rate units. The club says the plan, which would take more than half of the 80 parking spaces, threatens its long-term survival, because its members use the spaces, and the club rents them out during the day to employees at nearby businesses.The secretary of the Granite Curling Club board told CBC News on Friday that any loss of parking would be a non-starter in discussions with the city.The municipal board ordered the city to develop an “adequate” parking plan that supports the club’s long-term sustainability, and said the plan must satisfy not only senior city officials, but also the Granite Curling Club itself. The board argued its ruling isn’t precedent-setting, saying the curling club’s relationship with the city is “unique” because the Granite is a tenant in a city-owned heritage building. But Mayor Scott Gillingham said Monday he believes the effects could reach far beyond a single dispute.“Frankly, it’s naïve for the board to say this may not be precedent-setting,” the mayor said.Municipal board ‘overreach’Gillingham said he hadn’t yet received a full staff briefing on the ruling, but called the board’s intervention an “overreach,” particularly at a time when the city is trying to increase its supply of affordable housing.“I think they are out over their skis on this one, as the saying goes. And right now we need affordable housing built,” he said.He plans to review the ruling in detail before deciding whether to ask the provincial government to revisit it.The Granite Curling Club appealed the project earlier this year, arguing that city documents like Centre Plan 2050 require the City of Winnipeg to protect the club’s long-term viability. The municipal board agreed the city hadn’t adequately addressed those concerns, requiring officials to negotiate a replacement parking plan with the club.Coun. Evan Duncan, chair of council’s property and development committee, said the ruling amounts to giving the club veto power over a project on city-owned land.“The municipal board has said to the Granite Curling Club, ‘If you don’t like the parking arrangements that are being made, the project’s not moving forward,’” Duncan said Monday.“I am extremely concerned that this creates a dangerous precedent. I think this is an overstep by the municipal board. I think that it has to be reviewed.”Duncan said he believes the provincial government should review the board’s expanded authority, granted under Bill 37 in 2021, although he said it’s up to the mayor to lead intergovernmental discussions.A provincial review of that legislation, released last month, found the board has issued inconsistent decisions and has become “a more litigious and costly forum” for planning disputes, although it stopped short of calling for a full rollback of its powers.Premier Wab Kinew said Monday he is open to looking at the Granite ruling, but wants to avoid heavy-handed interference in municipal matters.“When it comes to local issues … we’ll always be there to listen and to hear some of the concerns,” he said. “If there’s an issue that we have to look at here again, I’m open to the conversation.”An action plan stemming from the province’s review of Bill 37 is expected later this year.WATCH | Mayor concerned about impacts of municipal board decision:Mayor concerned curling club’s input on housing plan could affect future developmentsWinnipeg’s mayor says a ruling by the Manitoba Municipal Board, which gives the Granite Curling Club a decisive say over an affordable housing project being proposed next door, could have significant implications for how the city develops its own land.ABOUT THE AUTHORCameron MacLean is a journalist for CBC Manitoba living in Winnipeg, where he was born and raised. He has more than a decade of experience reporting in the city and across Manitoba, covering a wide range of topics, including courts, politics, housing, arts, health and breaking news. Email story tips to cameron.maclean@cbc.ca.
Giving curling club power over housing project sets ‘dangerous precedent’: Winnipeg councillor
