Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - March 27, 2024, Winnipeg, Manitoba SOME independent gas stations in Winnipeg continue to feel the pinch more than a week after a pipeline had to shut down for repairs, while ana- lysts expect pump prices to rise over the coming days. A Canco station on Isabel Street, just south of Logan Avenue, was out of gas Tuesday morning. Digital signs that normally display prices were blank. “We are expecting delivery soon. Sorry for the inconvenience,” read a note attached to a pump at the in- ner-city station, which usually sells gas at prices lower than major retailers. Driver Greg Aguilar was disappoint- ed when he pulled up in his pickup truck and saw the note. “I like to get gas here because it’s cheaper,” he said, noting it usually costs him about $120 to fill his tank. Just over the Salter Street Bridge in the North End, a 204 Fuels station was out of premium gas, an employee con- firmed. Drivers were lined up for regular gas, which was priced at 133.9 cents per litre — six cents less than most stations. For most stations, there was no dis- ruption Tuesday. Analysts said some stations are still adjusting to new temporary supply chains set up in the wake of Imperial Oil’s unplanned pipeline repairs. “There is a disruption in the sys- tem. They will be resupplied sooner or later,” said Dan McTeague, president of Canadians for Affordable Energy. Employees of two independent chains told the Free Press fuel deliveries were not arriving as quickly as they did be- fore the shutdown. In normal times, fuel is usually de- livered to a station within 24 hours of notification, said McTeague. Staff at two independent stations said the shutdown has led to days-long waits. Kelowna, B.C.-based Canco did not respond to a request for comment. A manager of locally owned 204 Fuels de- clined to comment. Imperial Oil announced March 17 it was shutting down a pipeline, locat- ed between Gretna and Winnipeg, for maintenance work that could last three months. Crews will replace a section of pipe that runs under the Red River near St. Adolphe. The pipeline supplies gasoline, diesel and jet fuel to Winnipeg and surround- ing communities. Fuel will be trans- ported via train and truck in the inter- im. Edmonton-based spokeswoman Keri Scobie said preparatory work con- tinued Tuesday. “Equipment is starting to arrive this week, and we’re preparing to start the maintenance via horizontal directional drilling later in April to minimize im- pacts,” she wrote in an email. Scobie said Imperial Oil is providing wholesalers with the supply they need for their customers. If a station runs out of fuel, it could be due to “allocation,” or not receiv- ing full deliveries like it used to, said McTeague, who runs Gaswizard.ca, a price prediction website. WEDNESDAY MARCH 27, 2024 ● ASSOCIATE EDITOR, NEWS: STACEY THIDRICKSON 204-697-7292 ● CITY.DESK@FREEPRESS.MB.CA ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM SECTION B CONNECT WITH WINNIPEG’S NO. 1 NEWS SOURCE ▼ CITY ● BUSINESS CHRIS KITCHING Smaller fuel chains take biggest hit Pipeline closure disrupts gas deliveries to independents RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS A Canco station on Isabel Street, just south of Logan Avenue, was out of gas Tuesday. Jewish campus forced to make security upgrades NEW security measures at the Asper Jewish Community Campus are a sign of the times that “sadly make sense.” “Unfortunately, there is an overall threat against our community,” said Belle Jarniewski, executive director of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada, which is located on the campus in Tuxedo. “It has led to a need for sec- urity at Jewish institutions.” Starting Monday, all visitors to the campus will need to show govern- ment-issued identification to enter the facility. The new digital scanning system, called Patronscan, is the same one used at Manitoba Liquor Marts, said Jeff Lieberman, CEO of the Jewish Federa- tion of Winnipeg, which has its office at the campus. Visitors currently sign in at the sec- urity desk. Although antisemitism is on the rise in Canada, Lieberman said there were no recent incidents or threats in Winni- peg that led to the security upgrade. “We have been talking about enhan- cing security for a long time,” he said, adding it “probably would have hap- pened” even if Israel and Hamas were not involved in a war that has raged for nearly six months in Gaza. “The decision has been a long time in the making,” he said. The new security system enables digitally scanning and storing govern- ment identification for visitors without access cards or fobs, resulting in a fast- er and more seamless entry process, Lieberman said. The scanned identifications will auto- matically be verified against an inter- nal database of barred individuals, helping to maintain a safe and secure environment, he said. There are a handful of such people on that list, he said. Accepted forms of identification in- clude a driver’s licence, Manitoba Iden- tification Card, certificate of Indian Status, Manitoba Métis Federation cit- izenship card, Canadian Armed Forces identification card or a passport. Visitor identifications will be secure- ly stored in a remote data centre in Ed- monton for 21 days, Lieberman said, noting the campus “respects the im- portance of privacy” of visitors. Patronscan employs robust security measures to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the stored information, he said. Through her work with the herit- age centre, Jarniewski has visited Jewish organizations in Europe that have increased their security, given heightened concerns about threats and attacks. Until recently, that kind of sec- urity was not needed here, she said. The new measures will make people who work at or visit the campus feel more comfortable, she said. Jarniewski has received e-mail threats. “Really ugly stuff,” she said. A couple of examples included the phrases “you’re not safe,” and “we’re coming to exterminate you.” She said such threats make her far more aware of her surroundings, “something I never had to do in the past.” As many as 1,000 people visit the campus every day for work, to attend school, for programs, child care or to use the Rady community centre, which includes a gym, fitness centre and pool. In addition to the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg and Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada, the campus is home to Jewish Child and Family Services, the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba and the Winnipeg Jewish Theatre. faith@freepress.mb.ca JOHN LONGHURST Municipal rule change nixed ‘cooling off’ period Development application overhaul sparks debate A PROVINCIAL overhaul of municipal development rules appears to have pro- duced another hotly debated change. While a Winnipeg city councillor fears it shortens the impact of muni- cipal decisions, an industry consultant argues it should prevent unnecessary delays. The change, which took affect last summer, removes a clause that had kept some rejected development appli- cations from being heard again for one year. Coun. Brian Mayes said the repeat hearings have sparked concern. “If you’re applying (for), substan- tially, the same application the second time, there should be a ‘cooling off’ per- iod, is my view. Otherwise, it’s just not fair to the residents. I don’t think that’s a good use of (councillors’) time. I don’t think that’s a good use of the public’s time,” said Mayes (St. Vital). He first noted the concerns while chairing an appeal committee meet- ing at Winnipeg City Hall on March 18, when a lot-split proposal was con- sidered for a second time, after the committee rejected it in October. He said the removal of any min- imum time between applications risks enticing developers to go “judge shop- ping” repeatedly in search of an out- come in their favour, since the member- ship of the appeal committee changes multiple times each year. “It really just encourages you to keep applying in hopes of getting a differ- ent committee lineup… It’s unfair to the people who come out in opposition. If they’ve won the day (that should stand),” said Mayes. The recent case involved splitting a 50-foot lot at 275 Renfrew St. to allow for two homes, each with a secondary suite, to replace a single-family home. The committee sided with appellants to reject the project for a second time. Mayes said the proposal itself wasn’t the concern but city committee deci- sions should be honoured for at least a minimum amount of time. “You just had a panel of elected people saying ‘no’ in October. The staff then says ‘yes’ again and then the only recourse for the public is to come back to the elected folks. It invites just end- less reapplication,” he said. During the meeting, city officials told the committee the rules now al- low the planning, property and de- velopment department to prevent an application from being heard again if it was “refused” within the past year, such as when planning staff deter- mine it doesn’t meet the standards of a city bylaw. However, if city staff decide an application does meet those terms but elected officials later vote to reject it, there is no longer a “cool- ing off” period following that polit- ical decision. Mayes said he’s not sure if the prov- incial government had intended that outcome when it changed the wording. He said he doesn’t fault developers for reapplying, but takes issue with the rule itself. However, the applicant for the Renfrew lot-split said the rule is an improvement that could help ensure the traditional “cooling off” period can’t delay projects for too long. “Either way, we have to pay for the holding costs of that property for one year, which can run into tens of thou- sands of dollars,” said Tajinder Singh, owner of Anand Infrastructure and Consulting Ltd. He said that wait to reapply could al- low costs to pile up enough kill an other- wise viable project. Singh stressed his project also war- ranted further consideration because the proponents included more trees, switched some exterior materials, en- gaged an engineer to assess drainage concerns and completed more public consultations since it was rejected last fall. JOYANNE PURSAGA ● CITY HALL, CONTINUED ON B2 ● GAS, CONTINUED ON B2 MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS ON THE MOVE Ravleen Kaur, a Grade 8 student at Meadows West School, makes a move against Grade 12 Tec Voc student Naysa Aarrestad. Kaur won the match. Around 100 students from across Manitoba competed in the 2024 Manitoba High School Chess Championship at Sisler High School Tuesday. ;