Councillor files FIPPA to see federal housing report before vote

A Winnipeg city councillor is filing a request to see the results of a federal housing accelerator program in Winnipeg.

Brian Mayes has filled a request under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) to see a report summarizing the results of the first year of the Housing Accelerator Fund partnership the city has with the federal government.

“The city has to publish an annual report. I've asked for a copy of it,” he said. “Obviously, our staff have seen it, they admit they filed it with the federal bureaucrats, and yet they're not giving us the elected officials this information. We're voting on a matter later this month.”

The agreement gives the city access to tens of millions of dollars, which the city is to use to speed up housing construction.

One of the conditions is the city must release a report yearly to the federal government to show how the money is being used.

Mayes said it is the first time in his 13 years as a councillor that he had to file a FIPPA request to see a file he would be voting on.

He said he’s troubled about the secrecy behind the report.

“There seems to be a lot of changes going on at the last minute, information we're not getting, and I want to see this report, so I've had to take this step,” he said.

A spokesperson for the City of Winnipeg said a report was submitted based on an update given to council on Dec. 12, and public reports are coming on the city’s website in the coming week.