Open letter to governments

Article from Volume 12, Issue Number 1, 2025

By Duane Rohne | Other articles by Duane Rohne | Feature

We need to promote occupancy by owners

Brent Bellamy's article, The next step for new housing in Winnipeg (Winnipeg Free Press, 2024-11-18) offers a much-needed perspective on affordability and density. Jerry Storie's response, Changing how home ownership works (Winnipeg Free Press, 2024-11-21), about condominiums deserves serious consideration.

The non-profit volunteer board of directors of the Manitoba Chapter of the Canadian Condominium Institute strongly supports Jerry Storie’s observation on the need to review the Manitoba Condominium Act to promote ownership by individuals who live in their units. Condominiums can be one of the most affordable pathways to homeownership. With minor amendments to the Manitoba Condominium Act — such as limiting short-term-rental investor ownership and incentivizing energy efficiency retrofits — these spaces can foster community-driven, sustainable living.

Co-operative housing models have also demonstrated their effectiveness in maintaining affordability and deserve greater attention and funding. Our housing vision must evolve beyond short-term-rental subsidies and speculative development. By supporting ownership options such as condominiums, Winnipeg can provide accessible, environmentally responsible housing while addressing the root causes of unaffordability.

Brent Bellamy’s call to action is clear, but we must also include alternative models, as Jerry Storie so aptly emphasized, in conversations about housing policy reform.

Duane Rohne is a former director of CCI Manitoba but still volunteers with us and currently chairs our Government Relations and Advocacy Committee. Duane and his wife own and occupy a condominium. He was recently elected to its board.

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