WINNIPEG — The City of Winnipeg and taxpayers could be footing a much larger bill than first expected for the second phase of the bus rapid transit project.
The stretch of land owned by Manitoba Hydro is estimated to cost $20.6 million according to Hydro’s assessment. That’s almost $16 million more than what city assessors upraised the land value at in August 2015.
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Mayor Brian Bowman said councillors voted “begrudgingly” in favour of this land deal. He said he would rather it cost a lot less.
Bruce Owen of Manitoba Hydro said the price tag was a result of negotiations between the city and Manitoba Hydro Board. He said it was not a number Manitoba Hydro came to on its own.
He also said because the land is an active corridor and not one sitting idle, justifies a higher price tag to a certain extent.
City councillor Russ Wyatt said he’s appalled with Mayor Bowman for not taking this back to Manitoba Hydro and fighting for taxpayers more.
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Wyatt said this is land that the public already owns and shouldn’t be something taxpayers need to foot an even bigger bill for.