Article Summary
Fixing Winnipeg's Downtown: Big Picture Policy Changes to Revitalize the Inner City
Policy Series by Peter Holle, Dennis OwensAccording to Peter Holle and Dennis Owens, authors of the Frontier Centre report Fixing Winnipeg’s Downtown, Winnipeg has never lived up to its economic potential. Dismissing evolving geographical and historical forces as the reason for this fact, the authors blame provincial and municipal economic policies they say have restricted Winnipeg’s economic growth. If, Holle and Owens assert, these policies can be addressed and reformed, then the City of Winnipeg can revive its downtown, experience increased economic growth, and attract the quality human capital that is necessary in today’s knowledge economy.
In large part Fixing Winnipeg’s Downtown explores the authors’ recommendations for policy changes to “unlock” Winnipeg’s economy and create a vibrant and successful downtown. Among their recommendations: 1) friendly zoning and permitting; 2) unlocking private capital spending by ending rent control; 3) removing barriers to enterprise; 4) making the downtown a safe place to be by policing for results; 5) making traffic and parking policies friendly to residents, shoppers and cars; 6) improving transit; 7) making Winnipeg a ‘high-performance city’ by reforming municipal government; and, 8) dramatically lowering and de-emphasizing property taxes.
Of course, Holle and Owens explain, their recommendations require coordinated action from both the Government of Manitoba and the Winnipeg municipal government. If the two levels of government can work together, they conclude, the City of Winnipeg will experience a dramatic revival.
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Policy Publication Details
| Author(s): | Peter Holle; Dennis Owens; | ||
| Publisher: | Frontier Centre for Public Policy [ Visit Website ] | ||
| Year Published: | 2002; | Publisher Type: | Research Institute |
| Publicly Available: | Yes | Research Focus: | Municipal; |
| Registration Required: | No | Language: | English |
| Payment Required: | No | Publication Format: | Adobe PDF |
Subjects / Categories:
Policy Articles / Cities & Communities / Municipal Governance
Policy Articles / Fiscal & Budgetary / Tax Policy
Policy Articles / Economy / Municipal Economy
Policy Articles / Cities & Communities
Policy Articles / Economy
Policy Articles / Fiscal & Budgetary
Policy Articles / Economy / Municipal Economy / 2002
Policy Articles / Fiscal & Budgetary / Tax Policy / 2002
Keywords / Tags:
Winnipeg; stagnation; restrictive policies; zoning; permitting; rent control; enterprise; policing; traffic; parking; transit; municipal administration; property taxes;