Join the OURS-Winnipeg campaign "Save Our Canopy" to ensure Winnipeg City Council places a budget priority on our urban forest!
Email Mayor Bowman and your councillor to let them know you want to see increased forestry funding in the 2020 budget, in order to save our canopy.
Residents’ Associations, OURS-Winnipeg, and neighbourhood groups have responded by working together calling on Mayor and Council to increase the forestry budget by $7.61 million, the shortfall identified by the Parks and Open Space Division in 2019.
The City of Winnipeg’s iconic tree canopy is in crisis due to disease, climate change and chronic under-funding. October’s unprecedented storm displayed the challenges extreme weather can place on the urban forest and the need for its stable funding and care. The city’s forestry budget has not allowed for adequate disease management(p. 17 ), planting (p. 148), or pruning, (we fall well below industry best practices, p. 149). As a result, we are losing our canopy.
Please try to get your letter emailed before Wednesday, November 27, the date of the city committee meeting for Parks and Open Spaces.
Thursday, November 28th, City Council’s Executive Policy Committee will be meeting at City Hall for budget delegations. The budget presented by the City of Winnipeg currently proposes several cuts to vital community services, which will negatively affect our communities in the long run.
View budget presentations. Parks and Open Space Capitol Budget at City of Winnipeg 2020 Budget Meetings and Documents
How to Participate
1. Saturday , November 16 - 9:30 am at City Hall
Standing Committee on Protection, Community Services and Parks (urban forestry)
2. Wednesday November 27 - 8:30am at City Hall
Standing Committee on Protection, Community Services and Parks (urban forestry)
How to Register to be a Delegate (speak) at City Hall
Email Mayor Bowman and your councillor to let them know you want to see increased forestry funding in the 2020 budget, in order to save our canopy.
Residents’ Associations, OURS-Winnipeg, and neighbourhood groups have responded by working together calling on Mayor and Council to increase the forestry budget by $7.61 million, the shortfall identified by the Parks and Open Space Division in 2019.
The City of Winnipeg’s iconic tree canopy is in crisis due to disease, climate change and chronic under-funding. October’s unprecedented storm displayed the challenges extreme weather can place on the urban forest and the need for its stable funding and care. The city’s forestry budget has not allowed for adequate disease management(p. 17 ), planting (p. 148), or pruning, (we fall well below industry best practices, p. 149). As a result, we are losing our canopy.
Please try to get your letter emailed before Wednesday, November 27, the date of the city committee meeting for Parks and Open Spaces.
Thursday, November 28th, City Council’s Executive Policy Committee will be meeting at City Hall for budget delegations. The budget presented by the City of Winnipeg currently proposes several cuts to vital community services, which will negatively affect our communities in the long run.
View budget presentations. Parks and Open Space Capitol Budget at City of Winnipeg 2020 Budget Meetings and Documents
How to Participate
1. Saturday , November 16 - 9:30 am at City Hall
Standing Committee on Protection, Community Services and Parks (urban forestry)
- View Forestry Department Budget Presentation
- The Budget Presentation (Nov 16/19) for Public Works Department (Parks & Open Spaces Division) did not address the $7.61 million shortfall of the 2019 Urban Forest Enhancement Program for tree pruning and maintenance . A budget reduction is planned for 2021 to 2025. We are losing our canopy.
2. Wednesday November 27 - 8:30am at City Hall
Standing Committee on Protection, Community Services and Parks (urban forestry)
- Plan to attend
- Plan to speak
- Plan to submit a letter to Mayor and Council
- How to Register to be a Delegate (speak) at City Hall
- Attend to show your support
- Provide feedback on website https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/P8F2PC9 before Nov 27
How to Register to be a Delegate (speak) at City Hall
Welcome To OURS-Winnipeg
Welcome To OURS-Winnipeg
OURS-Winnipeg (Outdoor Urban Recreational Spaces – Winnipeg) is a city-wide, community-based, green space advocate organization with a focus on urban greenspaces, river and nature corridors and the urban forest. Parks, green spaces and natural are essential to making Winnipeg an attractive place to live, work and visit. With good planning and care they will be there for generations to come.
OURS continues to urge the City of Winnipeg to initiate consultations for the development of planning documents that preserve and enhance the natural amenities of Winnipeg. OURS-Winnipeg will continue to monitor developments pertaining to and will advocate for good stewardship of our valuable greenspace resources that belongs to us all.
The City of Winnipeg needs to develop an urban vision by enacting a Master Plan for Greenspace that reflects the intrinsic cultural, economic and ecological value of our natural assets and that includes:
1. An Urban River Corridor Plan that includes all rivers and streams
2. An Urban Parks Plan
3. A Comprehensive Urban Forest Management Plan
4. Accessible green space and natural areas for all
OURS-Winnipeg has consistently called for timely and meaningful public consultations involving a broad participation of citizens prior to any significant planning decisions being taken by the City of Winnipeg.
OURS-Winnipeg originated in December, 2011 in response to a plan by the City of Winnipeg to make seven of the city-owned golf courses available for sale or lease for commercial or residential development. A public campaign to have the Expression of Interest withdrawn was successfully implemented.
The city's 12 publicly owned golf courses are zoned parkland, and comprise about 12% of city owned greenspace .
Read more…
2018 Alternative Municipal Budget, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Greenspace Chapter of 2018 Alternative Budget
OURS-Winnipeg Master Greenspace Plan - 2014
OURS continues to urge the City of Winnipeg to initiate consultations for the development of planning documents that preserve and enhance the natural amenities of Winnipeg. OURS-Winnipeg will continue to monitor developments pertaining to and will advocate for good stewardship of our valuable greenspace resources that belongs to us all.
The City of Winnipeg needs to develop an urban vision by enacting a Master Plan for Greenspace that reflects the intrinsic cultural, economic and ecological value of our natural assets and that includes:
1. An Urban River Corridor Plan that includes all rivers and streams
2. An Urban Parks Plan
3. A Comprehensive Urban Forest Management Plan
4. Accessible green space and natural areas for all
OURS-Winnipeg has consistently called for timely and meaningful public consultations involving a broad participation of citizens prior to any significant planning decisions being taken by the City of Winnipeg.
OURS-Winnipeg originated in December, 2011 in response to a plan by the City of Winnipeg to make seven of the city-owned golf courses available for sale or lease for commercial or residential development. A public campaign to have the Expression of Interest withdrawn was successfully implemented.
The city's 12 publicly owned golf courses are zoned parkland, and comprise about 12% of city owned greenspace .
Read more…
2018 Alternative Municipal Budget, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Greenspace Chapter of 2018 Alternative Budget
OURS-Winnipeg Master Greenspace Plan - 2014