Potential snow-clearing boost bumped to budget discussion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/07/2023 (990 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mayor Scott Gillingham is not convinced a massive boost to Winnipeg’s snow-clearing budget is the answer to repeated cost overruns for the service.

During Wednesday’s executive policy committee meeting, the mayor said he’s not ready to back a public works request council raise the annual snow and ice control budget to $54.2 million, from around $35 million.

“I don’t know that I can support a $54-million budget at this point, but… (this will) refer it to the budget process for discussion,” said Gillingham.

EPC referred the new budget proposal for consideration in the 2024-27 multi-year budget process. After the vote, the mayor told reporters it warrants further talks.

“It is almost a $20-million increase to budget, would represent (an) over 3.5 to four per cent property tax increase, just to deal with snow clearing. That may be too big a jump. So let’s have the discussion about what level is an appropriate amount to set aside,” said Gillingham.

The call to boost the budget comes after the city dealt with snow-clearing deficits every year since 2013. (City of Winnipeg policy requires crews to clear snow to municipal standards even after the budget is maxed out.)

In 2022, council budgeted $34.7 million but actually spent $87.2 million to cope with repeated storms.

However, Gillingham noted general operating surpluses have covered any excess snow-clearing costs in many years, and the amount of snow Winnipeg receives varies each winter.

“It’s really hard to predict the weather. So, to really have significant increases to future budgets, based on weather patterns and projections, is a difficult thing to be certain about,” the mayor said.

The EPC vote also approved a call to spend an extra $216,000 in 2023, plus $552,000 or more per year from 2024 through 2027, to ramp up snow clearing for residential sidewalks and pathways.

Those routes would then be plowed after a five-centimetre snowfall (instead of the current eight cm), beginning after plowing on higher-priority walkways is finished, pending final council approval.

“There are so many people that depend upon the sidewalks and the pathways… There (are) individuals who need access because they use a wheelchair or a mobility aid or they’re parents with strollers. And, so, we need to make sure, where possible, we’re doing a better job of clearing our sidewalks,” said Gillingham.

Meanwhile, the executive policy committee cast several other significant votes Wednesday. Pending council approval, the committee opted to:

— Add more security guards, community safety hosts and other staff at the downtown Millennium Library, while reopening the site’s community connections space, inviting regular police foot patrols and keeping a metal detector in place (for now), as the next steps in a long-term security plan;

— Demolish the stairwell at the northeast corner of Portage Avenue and Main Street, after complaints it’s more often used as an illicit toilet than an underground concourse access;

— Refer a plan to the 2024-27 budget process, which aims to spend millions to add 77 more full-time staff positions to the planning, property and development department, and increase its permit reserve fund;

— Rescind a council vote to have city staff deliver up to 30 per cent of accessible Transit Plus service by 2024, and require drivers to be direct employees of each future contractor for the service.

Wednesday’s votes were made through the traditional verbal method instead of the electronic voting system that displays results on screen for those watching EPC meetings. (Electronic voting is only used by that committee.)

The mayor said he plans to discuss the future of the electronic voting system with EPC members, since this was not the first time technical glitches have prevented its use.

“There’s (consistently) been a few technical problems with it,” said Gillingham.

The mayor stressed voting results must remain clear to all viewers, which is why he announced the outcome of each vote Wednesday.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga