Funding pivot keeps road repairs high on spending list

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This article was published 26/11/2021 (1788 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Fixing crumbling roads remains a key spending priority for the city, in spite of its pandemic losses.

The preliminary 2022 budget includes $164.7 million for local and regional road renewal using a federal gas tax grant to cover the tab instead of a dedicated property tax increase.

That construction should help the economy recover from COVID-19, ensure reliable transportation routes and create jobs, according to Chris Lorenc, president of the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association.

“We think there is a balanced allocation in the capital program to spur economic development,” said Lorenc.

He is troubled, however, by the plan to funnel two percentage points of the annual 2.33 per cent property tax hike into general operating expenses instead of making good on a pledge to devote that money to road renewal.

“Obviously, we are concerned, because a promise made should be a promise kept. What gives me comfort is (the)… explicit language that this is a one-time event and that built into the 2023 budget is the expected return of the full (dedication to roads),” he said.

The preliminary budget also aims to keep more sewage out of local waterways, earmarking an additional $60 million to reduce combined sewer overflows over the next six years to raise the combined total to $240 million.

“People want to make sure that we are being good stewards of our environment and making sure that raw sewage is not going into our rivers. This will help us to prevent that sooner,” said Coun. Scott Gillingham, the city’s finance chairperson.

Coun. Brian Mayes, who leads council’s environment committee, said it’s not yet clear how much faster the project could be completed with the extra funding. He hopes the investment will help inspire other levels of government to help fund the work.

Combined sewer overflows occur when heavy rain or snow overwhelms older sewers that collect precipitation and wastewater in a single pipe, causing them to overflow into rivers. That sent about 5.6 billion litres of diluted sewage into local waterways last year.

Meanwhile, the city is being criticized for shortchanging other infrastructure. The budget devotes $8.9 million to active transportation in 2022, but that falls well short of what’s needed to entice more Winnipeggers to regularly switch from single-passenger vehicles to walking and biking, said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg.

“It’s grossly inadequate… they have no hope of coming close to any of their (goals to combat climate change) if this is the kind of budget we’re going to see,” said Cohoe.

He suggested an amount between $20 million and $30 million would be more appropriate.

Joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga