Keeping Winnipeg Affordable —Exploring the Potential for Inclusionary Housing in a Slow-Growth City

In Winnipeg, there is a need for more affordable housing, as 21 percent of households (64,065 households) are living in unaffordable housing—according to CMHC’s definition of spending more than 30 percent of income on shelter.1 Additionally, there are approximately 1,500 people experiencing homelessness in the city.2 While affordable housing has traditionally been provided by federal or provincial governments, municipalities have a range of tools to respond to need and are most connected to the local housing market. Inclusionary housing (IH) is a one tool available to cities and was recently enabled by the Province of Manitoba. This research informs the potential for IH in Winnipeg. Through examining existing literature and case studies in two American cities, learnings from how the policy is used elsewhere are summarized. Interviews with IH experts and those involved in local development help contextualize these learnings from elsewhere and inform key considerations for the local context. As IH is most commonly used in fast-growing municipalities, this research explores how inclusionary housing could be implemented in Winnipeg, Executive Summary a city long considered to be slow-growth with a stable housing market.

Publication Date: 
2018