Radio One 990
CBC Winnipeg
Monday, October 18, 2004
Host: Terry McLeod
Guest: Mayor Sam Katz
CBC: Well, this morning we’ve been talking about the pros and cons of the Waverley West development. It’s a proposed sub-division in South-West Winnipeg that could eventually house as many people as the City of Brandon. We now have Mayor Sam Katz joining us on the line to talk about it. Hello there.
Katz: Good morning.
CBC: Now we talked shortly after the election on July 8th and you told us at that time that you were thinking that this is still a good idea. What’s your thinking now?
Katz: Well, specifically regarding Waverley West, this all comes about as a result of the survey that came out regarding whether we do or we don’t have a land shortage. To me that survey just tells us what a great problem we have. It shows that Winnipeg is growing, and that people want to live in the City and we are the economic engine of Manitoba. My point hasn’t changed, Terry. I still believe that since the study shows that there is demand to live in Winnipeg, it’s up to City Council to take the appropriate steps to ensure we make more land available, but in a sustainable fashion.
CBC And so what do you mean by that, the sustainable thing?
Katz: Well, let’s put it this way. If Waverley West can help, that’s great. OK? I just want to make sure that we proceed in an economically sustainable fashion. How many times have you heard me over the last few months trying to say we want to obtain our share of the fuel tax from the federal government? And then if all we all we are going to do is turn around and spread the City around even more if we can’t afford it, that doesn’t make sense. So what the real issue turns out to be is meeting the demand of people who live in Winnipeg for the kind of housing they want to enjoy. But it’s our responsibility to make sure we meet that demand in a sustainable fashion. There’s costs involved, Terry, that’s really the bottom line. We’ve got to make sure that we can afford to do it all.
CBC: But on this question of whether or not you get some of the gas tax from the feds. Is that tied somehow to the issue of either rapid transit or controlling urban sprawl?
Katz: Well, I refer it to it as fuel tax and the difference is about $500 million dollars, but the federal government does call it gas tax, and the difference is $500 million dollars, so it’s all related. We know we have a major infrastructure debt. We know we have to address it, it’s no secret (Tape ends)