Land is just a four letter word

The bottom line of planning in Winnipeg, and anywhere else is land. In Winnipeg, Land is just a four letter word. When land is destroyed in Winnipeg, theoretically there is a price to be paid. Usually and by legislative authority, this price is 10% of the cost of the development. Or 10% of the land which is being developed. This became law in 1973. But City Hall has worked for 35 years to meld this to its ways, and now, the spirit of the legislation as well as it's substance has almost disappeared. Here is what the people who put the trust in 'public trust' (the city auditors) had to say about our Land Dedication Reserve 6 years ago.
http://winnipeg.ca/audit/pdfs/reports/LDRF2002.pdf

The Trust for Public Land, a non-profit from the states has audited 12 cities in the U.S. Here is how they audited them and what they found.
http://www.tpl.org/content_documents/ccpe_who_is_going_to_pay.pdf

In March of this year the New Policy for the use of the Land Dedication Reserve will be unveiled at EPC. Hopefully the new draft will bring the use of this Reserve back in line with the legislation. But it doesn't look good. Why? Because the Recreation Reserve is bankrupt and all eyes look at the Land Dediction Reserve. Need a new roof on your aging Community or Neighbourhood Centre, need a parking lot paved? All councillors know that the Land Dediction Reserve is a sitting duck. Forget land. Land in Winnipeg is just a four letter word. At City Hall they would be surprised to learn that land is a non-renewable resource and quick to say that anyone who thought that must just be a troublemaker, a difficult person, an anacharist, communitst and just not a nice person. Because they know, that land is just a four letter word.