The Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board has a long history of engaging mayoral candidates campaigning to be the next mayor of the City of Winnipeg. Representing over 2,400 REALTOR® Members, the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board has a vested interest in connecting with candidates to learn more about their plans on matters that affect the health of the real estate market and homeownership for Winnipeggers.
This is the next submission in our special weekly feature leading up to election day on October 26 called “A Conversation with 2022 Mayoral Candidates” where candidates share their vision. Scan the QR code above to listen to Kevin Klein’s podcast interview.
Submitted by Kevin Klein
Current Charleswood City Councillor and mayoral candidate, Kevin Klein, was recently interviewed by the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board. Here are his ideas and plans if he becomes mayor.
Kevin has been the councillor for Charleswood, Tuxedo, Westwood, since 2014. He has spent the last four years challenging the status quo at City Hall. From humble beginnings as one of three children raised by a strong Cree mother who was tragically murdered by her partner, Kevin learned resilience and worked hard to build a successful career. Kevin’s strong background in executive management and journalism position him well to set a new direction for the City of Winnipeg. Kevin is focused on your #1 priority — crime reduction and safe neighborhoods. Kevin will bring accountability and bold leadership to City Hall and will move Winnipeg forward.
When Kevin was asked how he would promote business development in Winnipeg, he stated he would focus on attracting and keeping businesses here. We are currently experiencing an environment that is not business friendly. Kevin announced that in the Mayor’s office, he would ensure that winnipeg is open for business. Small and medium businesses are the engines of our economy, jobs, and opportunities, and what helps make a city attractive to young people and entrepreneurs.
That means helping businesses open, expand and invest in Winnipeg by making sure the city treats them like clients and investors, not adversaries, when they apply for City of Winnipeg permits. We need to make sure that anyone who wants to create a job here is helped, not hindered, by the City. Kevin’s focus on addressing crime and making neighborhoods safe will ensure that Winnipeg is an attractive place to live, work and play.
When Kevin was asked what he would do as mayor to address property planning and development delays, he indicated that ensuring that any City of Winnipeg application, whether it’s a building permit, occupancy permit or license, is dealt with quickly and consistently. Kevin hears all the time that businesses don’t know how long it will take or what they will get from the city. We need to make sure there’s a level playing field for anyone who wants to invest here and that we deal with their matters as quickly as possible. Kevin will also establish a single point of contact for businesses to assist them in navigating the system efficiently and to help get them open sooner.
We need clear rules that are applied consistently around development applications, so that people feel comfortable investing in housing of all types in Winnipeg. We need a broad array, from single-family dwellings and townhouses to high-rise apartments. We need to make sure those builders have the best chance to be successful and the City can best contribute to that by quickly and consistently dealing with development applications. We should want them to pay taxes as quickly as possible, while respecting our land-use policies. Everyone in Winnipeg would like to see our taxes at the most reasonable rate possible. Fundamentally, Kevin would ensure that we have leaders in the city administration who believe that a fair and growing tax base is a top priority.
Kevin would establish reasonable, quick and attainable standards that must be met for all city processes, including detailed specific timelines for development applications like variances and rezonings — all the way to inspections, building and occupancy permits. The standards would be measured to ensure we meet our goals going forward, and work with the administration and the other stakeholders to identify and improve any parts of the city system which are not working as well as they could be. It’s a common-sense approach.
Municipal government leaders must work with other levels of government in order to be successful. When Kevin was asked what he would do to build a strong relationship with other governments, he expressed that he believes a respectful and collegial relationship with other levels of government is critical going forward. He realizes that colleagues at the federal and provincial levels all want what’s best for our constituents and we need to work together rather than bicker with each other to reach that goal.
Kevin is committed to ensuring a good working relationship with all of his colleagues on council as well and has started this by announcing he will create an inclusive budget working-group that all members of council will be invited to participate in equally.
Kevin believes that the City needs to measure, critically assess itself and improve. That is what a business would do and it’s what the City needs to do. You deserve a better Winnipeg.
Visit kevinklein.ca for more information.
The Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board is a non-partisan organization that works with all elected officials in support of our Members and a better Winnipeg for all its citizens. Nothing in the podcast or this publication should be seen as an endorsement of any candidate in Winnipeg’s civic election by the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board.
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Listen to the Podcast version