Let’s paint the picture. You see that a developer has put forth a motion to “delete” the bird friendly window requirement bylaw that was only passed a year ago and you say… not in my city! You see that the City is calling for public comment and you don’t want to watch from the sidelines, so you mobilize.

What happened in Winnipeg was a win for the birds and a masterclass in civic engagement. Here is the story of how one city fought back against the rollback of environmental standards, and how you can use their blueprint to protect nature in your own backyard.

Birds vs Buildings

In early 2025, Winnipeg took a massive step forward by mandating bird-friendly glass for new construction. It was a common-sense solution to a deadly problem:

Window collisions kill between 16 and 42 million birds in Canada every year!

Not even a year later, the building industry pushed back. A motion was introduced at City Hall to “delete” these requirements, citing costs and complexity.

Strategy to Replicate – Save Bird Lives

Watch the advocates in action here:

1. Quick and Direct Action Nature Canada along with local advocates like Bird Friendly Winnipeg and OURS Winnipeg didn’t wait. They launched digital action pages, making it incredibly easy for citizens to send letters directly to the Mayor and City Councillors. And when the City called for public comment, they received more than 700+ public comments in opposition!
2. Showing Up (Virtually and Physically) When the city met to discuss the motion, they weren’t met with silence. They were met with hours of delegations. Experts, conservationists, and everyday citizens explained that bird-friendly design is essential for urban infrastructure and wildbirds.
3. Challenging the Narrative The industry argued that these bylaws were a burden and too costly. Advocates countered with facts: bird-friendly glass is a mature technology backed by scientific testing, and incorporating it at the design stage adds negligible costs compared to the total budget of a building.

Advocacy Toolkit

If you see your city’s environmental bylaws being threatened, follow the Winnipeg Playbook:

• Monitor the Agenda: Keep an eye on City Hall committee meetings. Rollbacks often happen in quiet sub-committee meetings before they hit the main stage.
• Partner with Us: Nature Canada’s Bird Friendly City program and Municipal Protected Areas Toolkit provides the resources and the “how-to” for passing (and defending) bylaws.
• Make it Personal: Talk about the joy of seeing birds in your neighborhood and the tragedy of finding them dead on the sidewalk. Share your story. 

Demand Transparency: If a developer claims something is “too expensive,” ask for the receipts. Compare those costs to the environmental impact of losing local biodiversity.

Result

Because Winnipeg residents stood up, the motion to delete the requirements was defeated. The city is now back on track toward its official Bird Friendly City Certification, joining a prestigious list of Canadian cities that prioritize life over glass.

The takeaway is simple: Bylaws are only as strong as the people who support them. Winnipeg proved that when citizens say “not in my city,” City Hall has no choice but to listen. 

Thank you to everyone involved with the newly formed Bird Friendly Winnipeg and to Nature Canada’s Nature Nation! 

Want to start the movement in your town? Check out Nature Canada’s Bird Friendly City Program and let’s get to work. The birds are counting on us.