August 6, 2006

Winnipeg Green Party Platform

Democracy

1. The Greens will harmonize the city ward boundaries with the provincial constituencies, thereby increasing the number of wards and council seats to 31.
2. The Greens will ask Winnipeggers on the election ballot if councillors should serve a limited number of consecutive terms in office.
3. The Winnipeg Greens will be committed to openness and accountability in decision-making.
4. Public participation will be meaningful - that is, with timely and expanded access to information.
5. Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreements will be open to the public, not kept secret.
6. The office of the City Auditor will be made fully independent, with a comprehensive mandate to review City spending.

Land Use Planning

1. The City's current "any growth now" mentality and policies will end.
2. Plan Winnipeg will be strengthened and adhered to.
3. The annual City Progress Report required by Plan Winnipeg will be produced.
4. Planning focus will shift to reinvestment in existing neighbourhoods rather than developer-driven new ones; redevelopment will replace development as the preferred option.
5. New, unserviced lots will be charged a levy to offset the cost of adding services and infrastructure.
6. Future developments will follow Transit Oriented Development, where density is concentrated along transit routes.
7. Parking space requirements for commercial buildings will be abolished.
8. Existing roads will be fixed before new ones are built.
9. A shift will be made from high maintenance park spaces, such as lawns, to natural spaces, such as forest and meadow.

Transit

1. Bus Rapid Transit will be implemented.
2. Bus fares will be frozen.
3. Universal bus passes for post-secondary students will be negotiated with all post-secondary academic institutions.
4. The position of Active Transportation Coordinator will be created, to improve walking, cycling and other travel in the city

Municipal Revenue

1. The Winnipeg Greens will strongly advocate for the Province to take responsibility for all property tax assessments, as the Province does for every other municipality in Manitoba.
2. The Winnipeg Greens will strongly advocate for the removal of the provincial education tax from property tax bills.

Water, Garbage and Recycling

1. An independent task force will be established to investigate the economic feasibility of the City's waste disposal system, including the effectiveness of its recycling program.
2. To encourage conservation, the water rate structure will be made progressive so that the price of water increases as use increases.
3. Minimum fees at the City dump will be increased to match the private dump, with increased revenues to go to waste reduction programs.
4. The initiatives to end the discharge of raw sewage into our rivers will be accelerated.
5. The Winnipeg Greens will work to ensure the City adopts a Green Building Policy.

Health and Safety

1. The Winnipeg Greens will not apply for pesticide use permits; money now spent for insect and weed control will go to preventive measures, such as drainage, and other natural pest control.
2. A cosmetic pesticide by-law will be implemented.
3. Maintenance of local community centres will be a priority.
4. An independent commission will be established to work with emergency services to improve emergency response time.
5. Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs) will be banned within the City through existing provincial legislation.

The Winnipeg Green Party invites your questions or comments at .