Scroll down for Nature Smart Climate Solutions Letter
Update - Bird Friendly Windows amendment was added to the Housing Accelerator Malls and Corridors component at November 21 2024 Council Public Hearing, as a requirement. Thank you to everyone who wrote supporting letters.
Please feel encouraged to engage with your Councillors by writing respectful and informative and comments.
All Councillors will be able to vote on this topic so it is helpful to send a letter to all.
Councillor Contacts
Mayor Scott Gillingham <[email protected]>, John Orlikow <[email protected]>,Cindy Gilroy <[email protected]>,Brian Mayes <[email protected]>,Markus Chambers <[email protected]>,Matt Allard <[email protected]>,Russ Wyatt <[email protected]>,Jeff Browaty <[email protected]>,Jason Schreyer <[email protected]>,Ross Eadie <[email protected]>,Vivian Santos <[email protected]>,Devi Sharma <[email protected]>,Janice Lukes <[email protected]>,Shawn Dobson <[email protected]>,Sherri Rollins <[email protected]>,Evan Duncan <[email protected]>, OURS-Winnipeg <[email protected]>
Mayor Scott Gillingham [email protected]
Brian Mayes [email protected]
Markus Chambers [email protected]
Matt Allard [email protected]
Russ Wyatt [email protected]
Jeff Browaty [email protected]
Jason Schreyer [email protected]
Ross Eadie [email protected]
Vivian Santos [email protected]
Devi Sharma [email protected]
Janice Lukes [email protected]
Shawn Dobson [email protected]
Sherri Rollins [email protected]
Cindy Gilroy [email protected]
Evan Duncan [email protected]
John Orlikow [email protected]
OURS-Winnipeg [email protected]
Who’s my City Councillor? lookup
List of 2022 - 2026 City Council and their ward
Update - Bird Friendly Windows amendment was added to the Housing Accelerator Malls and Corridors component at November 21 2024 Council Public Hearing, as a requirement. Thank you to everyone who wrote supporting letters.
Please feel encouraged to engage with your Councillors by writing respectful and informative and comments.
All Councillors will be able to vote on this topic so it is helpful to send a letter to all.
Councillor Contacts
Mayor Scott Gillingham <[email protected]>, John Orlikow <[email protected]>,Cindy Gilroy <[email protected]>,Brian Mayes <[email protected]>,Markus Chambers <[email protected]>,Matt Allard <[email protected]>,Russ Wyatt <[email protected]>,Jeff Browaty <[email protected]>,Jason Schreyer <[email protected]>,Ross Eadie <[email protected]>,Vivian Santos <[email protected]>,Devi Sharma <[email protected]>,Janice Lukes <[email protected]>,Shawn Dobson <[email protected]>,Sherri Rollins <[email protected]>,Evan Duncan <[email protected]>, OURS-Winnipeg <[email protected]>
Mayor Scott Gillingham [email protected]
Brian Mayes [email protected]
Markus Chambers [email protected]
Matt Allard [email protected]
Russ Wyatt [email protected]
Jeff Browaty [email protected]
Jason Schreyer [email protected]
Ross Eadie [email protected]
Vivian Santos [email protected]
Devi Sharma [email protected]
Janice Lukes [email protected]
Shawn Dobson [email protected]
Sherri Rollins [email protected]
Cindy Gilroy [email protected]
Evan Duncan [email protected]
John Orlikow [email protected]
OURS-Winnipeg [email protected]
Who’s my City Councillor? lookup
List of 2022 - 2026 City Council and their ward
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Bird Friendly Template Letter
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Bird Friendly Background
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Nature Smart Climate Solutions
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Individualized letters are most appreciated. Please feel free to add personal comments or experiences. Cut and paste the letter into your email program.
Bird Friendly Template Letter October 2024
Dear Mayor and Councillor(s),
Re: Bird Friendly and Lights Out policy for Housing Accelerator (HAF) Fund Bylaw Amendments
Bird populations have declined in North America by roughly one-third since the 1970s and collisions with windows are a primary driver of that drop. The "State of Canada’s Birds 2024" report provides that collisions with windows are estimated to kill more than 25 million birds in Canada every year. Birds are an essential component of biodiversity and it is imperative that we do whatever we can to to protect bird populations and contribute to their survival whether they live here or are on their migratory journeys.
The City can do much to help protect birds. In September of 2021 Winnipeg City Council adopted the national Bird-Friendly Building Design Standard from the Canadian Standards Association (Bird-Friendly Building Design Standard) as a voluntary program. A Lights Out Policy was adopted in March 2022 for city owned buildings to further reduce bird collisions with windows. Unfortunately, the City missed an opportunity to require Bird Friendly Building Design standards in CentrePlan 2050 by making it voluntary. This means 25 more years of potential bird collisions in an area highly dangerous to birds.
The City of Winnipeg is rapidly expanding the amount of needed new housing with the Housing Accelerator Fund Zoning Bylaw Amendments. The initiative includes taller housing on malls and corridors, some up to 150 ft. (13 to 14 stories) and multi-story residences and fourplexes for most other parts of the city, including riparian areas. https://www.winnipeg.ca/building-development/housing/housing-accelerator-fund
Winnipeg's new buildings will stand well into the future. Bird friendly building codes are needed now to protect the declining number of birds from otherwise, continuing harm.
Birds are an important indicator of the health of our planet. In addition to their ecosystem roles, birds are one of life’s more beautiful pleasures and contribute to the livability of our city.
I request that the bird friendly regulatory standards be a requirement in the upcoming HAF zoning by-law amendments to ensure the standards are applied for all new and renovated buildings.
Sincerely,
Your name
References:
The City of Winnipeg Bird Friendly resource page
https://legacy.winnipeg.ca/ppd/CityPlanning/BirdFriendlyResources/default.stm
Release of The State of Canada’s Birds 2024 report www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/news/2024/10/release-of-the-state-of-canadas-birds-2024-report.html Collisions with windows are estimated to kill more than 25 million birds in Canada every year
The Conversation October 23 2024 Want to build healthier cities? Make room for bird and tree diversity
https://theconversation.com/want-to-build-healthier-cities-make-room-for-bird-and-tree-diversity-235379
A decade long study of 36 Canadian cities shows bird and tree diversity benefits our mental health.
CBC September 14 2014 Birds face a major obstacle as they fly south for winter: windows. Canadian cities are looking for solutions.
https://www.cbc.ca/newsinteractives/features/bird-strikes
Winnipeg Free Press October 8 2024 What we do for birds we do for us all
www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2024/10/08/what-we-do-for-the-birds-we-do-for-us-all
Audubon
Window Strikes Are Even Deadlier for Birds Than We Thought A new study suggests the true avian toll of building collisions in the United States reaches well over 1 billion deaths annually.
www.audubon.org/magazine/window-strikes-are-even-deadlier-birds-we-thought
Winnipeg Free Press October 30 2024 Land Guardians step into the spotlight, Seal River Watershed
www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2024/10/30/land-guardians-step-into-the-spotlight
Amid fall bird migration this year, a new study found that over 100 bird species rely on the Seal River Watershed in northern Manitoba. Considering North America has lost over three billion birds in the last few decades, this discovery is a bright spot — one that shines far and wide. Many of the watershed’s birds fly to backyards across the province, and some continue south all the way to the Amazon.
Bird Friendly Template Letter October 2024
Dear Mayor and Councillor(s),
Re: Bird Friendly and Lights Out policy for Housing Accelerator (HAF) Fund Bylaw Amendments
Bird populations have declined in North America by roughly one-third since the 1970s and collisions with windows are a primary driver of that drop. The "State of Canada’s Birds 2024" report provides that collisions with windows are estimated to kill more than 25 million birds in Canada every year. Birds are an essential component of biodiversity and it is imperative that we do whatever we can to to protect bird populations and contribute to their survival whether they live here or are on their migratory journeys.
The City can do much to help protect birds. In September of 2021 Winnipeg City Council adopted the national Bird-Friendly Building Design Standard from the Canadian Standards Association (Bird-Friendly Building Design Standard) as a voluntary program. A Lights Out Policy was adopted in March 2022 for city owned buildings to further reduce bird collisions with windows. Unfortunately, the City missed an opportunity to require Bird Friendly Building Design standards in CentrePlan 2050 by making it voluntary. This means 25 more years of potential bird collisions in an area highly dangerous to birds.
The City of Winnipeg is rapidly expanding the amount of needed new housing with the Housing Accelerator Fund Zoning Bylaw Amendments. The initiative includes taller housing on malls and corridors, some up to 150 ft. (13 to 14 stories) and multi-story residences and fourplexes for most other parts of the city, including riparian areas. https://www.winnipeg.ca/building-development/housing/housing-accelerator-fund
Winnipeg's new buildings will stand well into the future. Bird friendly building codes are needed now to protect the declining number of birds from otherwise, continuing harm.
Birds are an important indicator of the health of our planet. In addition to their ecosystem roles, birds are one of life’s more beautiful pleasures and contribute to the livability of our city.
I request that the bird friendly regulatory standards be a requirement in the upcoming HAF zoning by-law amendments to ensure the standards are applied for all new and renovated buildings.
Sincerely,
Your name
References:
The City of Winnipeg Bird Friendly resource page
https://legacy.winnipeg.ca/ppd/CityPlanning/BirdFriendlyResources/default.stm
Release of The State of Canada’s Birds 2024 report www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/news/2024/10/release-of-the-state-of-canadas-birds-2024-report.html Collisions with windows are estimated to kill more than 25 million birds in Canada every year
The Conversation October 23 2024 Want to build healthier cities? Make room for bird and tree diversity
https://theconversation.com/want-to-build-healthier-cities-make-room-for-bird-and-tree-diversity-235379
A decade long study of 36 Canadian cities shows bird and tree diversity benefits our mental health.
CBC September 14 2014 Birds face a major obstacle as they fly south for winter: windows. Canadian cities are looking for solutions.
https://www.cbc.ca/newsinteractives/features/bird-strikes
Winnipeg Free Press October 8 2024 What we do for birds we do for us all
www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2024/10/08/what-we-do-for-the-birds-we-do-for-us-all
Audubon
Window Strikes Are Even Deadlier for Birds Than We Thought A new study suggests the true avian toll of building collisions in the United States reaches well over 1 billion deaths annually.
www.audubon.org/magazine/window-strikes-are-even-deadlier-birds-we-thought
Winnipeg Free Press October 30 2024 Land Guardians step into the spotlight, Seal River Watershed
www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2024/10/30/land-guardians-step-into-the-spotlight
Amid fall bird migration this year, a new study found that over 100 bird species rely on the Seal River Watershed in northern Manitoba. Considering North America has lost over three billion birds in the last few decades, this discovery is a bright spot — one that shines far and wide. Many of the watershed’s birds fly to backyards across the province, and some continue south all the way to the Amazon.
Birds are an important indicator of the health of our planet. In addition to their ecosystem roles, birds bring pleasure to their surroundings for many people who observe them and listen to their sounds.
Winnipeg City Council adopted the national Bird-Friendly Building Design Standard from the Canadian Standards Association in September 2021(Bird-Friendly Building Design Standard) as a voluntary program. A lights out Policy was adopted in March 2022.
Making bird friendly regulatory standards a requirement in upcoming zoning by-law amendments is necessary to ensure the bird friendly standards are applied.
Why Now
Why it is important
What you can do
Make a difference by writing a letter today!
Winnipeg City Council adopted the national Bird-Friendly Building Design Standard from the Canadian Standards Association in September 2021(Bird-Friendly Building Design Standard) as a voluntary program. A lights out Policy was adopted in March 2022.
Making bird friendly regulatory standards a requirement in upcoming zoning by-law amendments is necessary to ensure the bird friendly standards are applied.
Why Now
- Newly released State of Canada’s Birds 2024 report provides. “Collisions with windows are estimated to kill more than 25 million birds in Canada every year. Migration brings many species into urban and suburban areas.” https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/news/2024/10/release-of-the-state-of-canadas-birds-2024-report.html
- Winnipeg is in the process of revising its bylaws to increase housing density by accelerating the construction of taller residential buildings, up to 14 stories.
- “Now” is an opportunity for Winnipeg to create housing stock for the future that includes bird friendly design
- The city missed an opportunity to require Bird Friendly Building Design standards in its CentrePlan 2050. (downtown 25-year development plan approved by Council in September 2024). This means 25 more years of bird collisions in an area most dangerous to birds.
Why it is important
- Bird friendly building codes are required to protect the declining number of birds from otherwise, continuing harm.
- Winnipeg is on a major migratory bird flyway
- Migratory birds, especially have declining populations
- Window collisions and loss of habitat are among the main threats to birds.
- Winnipeg City Council made a commitment to protect biodiversity by signing the ‘Montreal Pledge – Cities United in Action for Biodiversity” in 2022.
- The city is not fulfilling its responsibility to protect biodiversity for future generations.
What you can do
- Request that the city amend its housing bylaws currently under review to include required bird friendly design standards
- Write a letter to the Mayor and Councillors. Template letter provided on OURS-Winnipeg website https://ours-winnipeg.weebly.com/template-letters.html
- Share this email and social media widely
Make a difference by writing a letter today!
Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-funding/programs/nature-smart-climate-solutions-fund.html
Use this letter (sent to the Mayor and Councillors Dec 5) to draft one of your own.
December 2024
To: Mayor Scott Gillingham and City Councilors:
From: Erna Buffie, Trees Please Winnipeg; Pam Lucenkiw, Ours-Winnipeg; James
Beddome, Manitoba Eco-Network; Ron Thiessen, CPAWS MB; France Pomminville,
Executive Director, Climate Reality Project Canada;
Dear Mr. Mayor and Councillors:
We are writing to encourage the City of Winnipeg to apply for funding available via the $1.4
billion Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund (NSCS) recently launched by the federal
government. Applications for the fund are open as of Dec. 1, 2024, and ongoing through
2025.
The $1.4 billion NSCS fund is designed to assist cities and municipalities to “reduce the
loss, restore, or improve the management of ecosystems which reduce emissions…and
support biodiversity,” and which includes assistance with land acquisition.
We believe that this fund, paired with the Housing Accelerator Fund, will enable Winnipeg
to meet its housing targets while honoring its commitment to add an additional 1,000 acres
to our parks and greenspace inventory.
You and a majority of Councilors have shown vision and leadership in your efforts to access
matched federal funding from the 2 Billion Trees Fund to secure a future for our urban
forest. It is our hope that the city will demonstrate the same leadership and vision, by
providing the matched funds needed to access NSCS, to ensure the acquisition, expansion
and protection of our few remaining intact forests, riverbanks, wildlife corridors and city
center green spaces.
In addition to demonstrating that Winnipeg is making every effort to honor the promises it
made as a signatory of the Montreal Biodiversity Pledge, as well as the council-adopted
Parks Strategy, NSCS funds will also ensure that canopy expansion targets set in the 20
Year Urban Forestry Strategy agreement.
Essential to that would be the acquisition and preservation of existing intact urban forests
such as the Lemay and Sumka properties, as well the creation of much needed additional
green space in downtown and adjacent neighborhoods.
According to the city’s own Parks Strategy, money was to be allocated to the Parks capital
budget for parkland acquisition. Specifically, Item 5, Appendix C, suggested that $12M over
a 10-year period be allocated.
Unfortunately no such allocation has occurred to date and, as a result, Parks has no cash
on hand in its capital budget to lever NSCS funds for the acquisition of parkland. Moreover
the current capital budget for Parks is among the lowest for Canadian cities of comparable
size.
That lack of capital funding has serious ramifications.
Not only will the city fail in its commitment to ensure equitable access to greenspace -
particularly for downtown and city center residents as promised in the Parks strategy and
Centre-plan 2050. It will also fail to take advantage of the critical role additional
greenspace can play in mitigating extreme weather, such as heatwaves, reducing
emissions, strengthening the city’s climate resiliency and attracting and retaining youth.
Most importantly, the failure to allocate money for parkland acquisition means that
Winnipeg is currently unable to lever matched federal funds from the NSCS. Money that
would double, and in some cases more than double, any funds allocated by the city.
Winnipeg simply cannot afford to leave this federal money on the table.
While we appreciate the financial difficulties the city currently faces, we feel that putting
our tax dollars toward the acquisition of land for additional greenspace will receive broad
community support.We also feel that the urgent need for density must be balanced with
the equally pressing need to provide denser neighborhoods with equitable, accessible and
biodiverse green spaces.
We would therefore urge you to consider providing additional money for land acquisition to
the Parks’ capital budget for 2025 and 2026 -money that would enable Winnipeg to apply
for NSCS matched funds for the same two-year period.
There are couple of ways that might be accomplished. There is, for example an opportunity
for the city to lever funds currently available in Manitoba Habit and Heritage, specifically
earmarked for the purchase of the Lemay Forest, and use it to access additional NSCS
funds.
There is also an opportunity for council to earmark a percentage of its Land Dedication and
Reserve Fund to the Parks Capital Budget specifically for the purpose of land acquisition,
as outlined in the LDR’s original statement of intent.
Alternatively, Council could consider assigning a portion of the city’s carbon tax rebate
toward Park’s capital budget for land acquisition. As you are doubtless aware, there is an
expectation on the part of the federal government that carbon rebate money be used for
projects aimed at reducing emissions and increasing resiliency, both of which parkland and
green space can help to accomplish.
Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Sincerely,
Erna Buffie, Trees PleaseWinnipeg
PamLucenkiw and Dave Green, Co-Chairs, OURS-Winnipeg
James Beddome, Executive Director, Manitoba Eco-network
Ron Thiessen, Executive Director, CPAWS MB
France Pomminville, Executive Director, Climate Reality Project
Use this letter (sent to the Mayor and Councillors Dec 5) to draft one of your own.
December 2024
To: Mayor Scott Gillingham and City Councilors:
From: Erna Buffie, Trees Please Winnipeg; Pam Lucenkiw, Ours-Winnipeg; James
Beddome, Manitoba Eco-Network; Ron Thiessen, CPAWS MB; France Pomminville,
Executive Director, Climate Reality Project Canada;
Dear Mr. Mayor and Councillors:
We are writing to encourage the City of Winnipeg to apply for funding available via the $1.4
billion Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund (NSCS) recently launched by the federal
government. Applications for the fund are open as of Dec. 1, 2024, and ongoing through
2025.
The $1.4 billion NSCS fund is designed to assist cities and municipalities to “reduce the
loss, restore, or improve the management of ecosystems which reduce emissions…and
support biodiversity,” and which includes assistance with land acquisition.
We believe that this fund, paired with the Housing Accelerator Fund, will enable Winnipeg
to meet its housing targets while honoring its commitment to add an additional 1,000 acres
to our parks and greenspace inventory.
You and a majority of Councilors have shown vision and leadership in your efforts to access
matched federal funding from the 2 Billion Trees Fund to secure a future for our urban
forest. It is our hope that the city will demonstrate the same leadership and vision, by
providing the matched funds needed to access NSCS, to ensure the acquisition, expansion
and protection of our few remaining intact forests, riverbanks, wildlife corridors and city
center green spaces.
In addition to demonstrating that Winnipeg is making every effort to honor the promises it
made as a signatory of the Montreal Biodiversity Pledge, as well as the council-adopted
Parks Strategy, NSCS funds will also ensure that canopy expansion targets set in the 20
Year Urban Forestry Strategy agreement.
Essential to that would be the acquisition and preservation of existing intact urban forests
such as the Lemay and Sumka properties, as well the creation of much needed additional
green space in downtown and adjacent neighborhoods.
According to the city’s own Parks Strategy, money was to be allocated to the Parks capital
budget for parkland acquisition. Specifically, Item 5, Appendix C, suggested that $12M over
a 10-year period be allocated.
Unfortunately no such allocation has occurred to date and, as a result, Parks has no cash
on hand in its capital budget to lever NSCS funds for the acquisition of parkland. Moreover
the current capital budget for Parks is among the lowest for Canadian cities of comparable
size.
That lack of capital funding has serious ramifications.
Not only will the city fail in its commitment to ensure equitable access to greenspace -
particularly for downtown and city center residents as promised in the Parks strategy and
Centre-plan 2050. It will also fail to take advantage of the critical role additional
greenspace can play in mitigating extreme weather, such as heatwaves, reducing
emissions, strengthening the city’s climate resiliency and attracting and retaining youth.
Most importantly, the failure to allocate money for parkland acquisition means that
Winnipeg is currently unable to lever matched federal funds from the NSCS. Money that
would double, and in some cases more than double, any funds allocated by the city.
Winnipeg simply cannot afford to leave this federal money on the table.
While we appreciate the financial difficulties the city currently faces, we feel that putting
our tax dollars toward the acquisition of land for additional greenspace will receive broad
community support.We also feel that the urgent need for density must be balanced with
the equally pressing need to provide denser neighborhoods with equitable, accessible and
biodiverse green spaces.
We would therefore urge you to consider providing additional money for land acquisition to
the Parks’ capital budget for 2025 and 2026 -money that would enable Winnipeg to apply
for NSCS matched funds for the same two-year period.
There are couple of ways that might be accomplished. There is, for example an opportunity
for the city to lever funds currently available in Manitoba Habit and Heritage, specifically
earmarked for the purchase of the Lemay Forest, and use it to access additional NSCS
funds.
There is also an opportunity for council to earmark a percentage of its Land Dedication and
Reserve Fund to the Parks Capital Budget specifically for the purpose of land acquisition,
as outlined in the LDR’s original statement of intent.
Alternatively, Council could consider assigning a portion of the city’s carbon tax rebate
toward Park’s capital budget for land acquisition. As you are doubtless aware, there is an
expectation on the part of the federal government that carbon rebate money be used for
projects aimed at reducing emissions and increasing resiliency, both of which parkland and
green space can help to accomplish.
Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Sincerely,
Erna Buffie, Trees PleaseWinnipeg
PamLucenkiw and Dave Green, Co-Chairs, OURS-Winnipeg
James Beddome, Executive Director, Manitoba Eco-network
Ron Thiessen, Executive Director, CPAWS MB
France Pomminville, Executive Director, Climate Reality Project
