The provincial government is in talks with candidates to take the leadership position, Simard said.<\/p>\n
Her exit isn\u2019t expected to impact wait times for board reviews \u2014 an acting chair will fill in, and there are other board members, noted Andrea Doyle, who teaches administrative law at the University of Manitoba.<\/p>\n
One municipal board member said Lavoie had an \u201cenormous\u201d workload, adding they didn\u2019t know the reason for her departure.<\/p>\n
The Manitoba Municipal Board has not released an annual report \u2014 which shows the number of outstanding applications \u2014 since 2022.<\/p>\n
At the time, the board counted 1,921 outstanding applications, appeals and referrals.<\/p>\n
The Manitoba government didn\u2019t provide current data by end of day Thursday.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously there must\u2019ve been some backlog because the province is instituting this \u2018120 days until a hearing,\u2019\u201d Doyle said. \u201cAny kind of delay issue would be an access to justice issue.\u201d<\/p>\n
James Mercury, a partner at MLT Aikins who specializes in municipal law and property tax, said in an email it\u2019s \u201cnot uncommon\u201d to wait more than four years for a hearing date on property tax appeals.<\/p>\n
Tory Deputy Leader Jeff Bereza told reporters Wednesday the board is dealing with an increased workload and backlog of cases.<\/p>\n
He was municipal board chair from 2016 to 2023; Lavoie overlapped as vice-chair.<\/p>\n
\u201cLori is a very capable lawyer. She\u2019s a very capable writer,\u201d he said. \u201c(She) was also a huge part of reducing the amount of tax assessment issues that went on with the municipal board.\u201d<\/p>\n
The province has hired two new municipal board staffers and a clerk, and it\u2019s appointed six new board members and a new vice-chair, Simard said.<\/p>\n
The hires, and the proposed legislation, are aimed at reducing backlogs and rescoping the board\u2019s powers, he added.<\/p>\n
The entity has been \u201coverburdened and given an excessive amount of responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were basically relitigating a mature government\u2019s work,\u201d Simard said, adding the province is seeking to remove de novo hearings, preventing the municipal board from starting cases from scratch when there has already been public appeals.<\/p>\n
The bill is expected to pass this spring. It draws on recommendations from a 2024 statutory review of provincial planning legislation. Braid Solutions conducted the review.<\/p>\n
The Association of Manitoba Municipalities supports the legislation.<\/p>\n
\u201cMunicipalities have consistently raised concerns about lengthy municipal board delays, outdated administrative processes, and the significant legal costs associated with appeals,\u201d an association spokesperson wrote in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of (these) can stall important community projects and investment.\u201d<\/p>\n
gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t![\"Gabrielle](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/gabrielle-piche-mug.jpg\")
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Gabrielle Pich\u00e9 Gabrielle Pich\u00e9 reports on business for the Free Press. She interned at the Free Press and worked for its sister outlet, Canstar Community News, before entering the business beat in 2021. Read more about Gabrielle<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Gabrielle produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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