Derelict & Abandoned Buildings - By-Law Strategy takes aim at

Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Strategy takes aim at vacant and derelict buildings

By: Bartley Kives 6/07/2010 11:00 AM |

WINNIPEG -- City council's property and development committee has approved a city strategy to cut down on the number of vacant and derelict buildings in Winnipeg.

The city plans to overhaul its six-year-old Vacant & Derelict Building Bylaw to create a new series of fees and fines to convince property owners to properly maintain vacant homes and commercial buildings.

At the same time, a new series of enforcement procedures - including more frequent inspections - will be launched by the city's bylaw enforcement officers.

The city is also changing legal procedures to cut down the time it takes to convict derelict property owners and force them to comply - and also cut down on the time it takes to seize properties whose owners refuse to comply.

The aim is to reduce the number of vacant and derelict buildings in Winnipeg from 614 right now to approximately 300 by 2013.

The plan was approved unanimously this morning. It heads to executive policy committee on July 14 and then council as a whole on July 21.