Key elements in proposed civic budget 10 takeaways from the 2024 preliminary budget By: Danielle Da Silva Posted: 5:48 PM CST Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024

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This article was published 07/02/2024 (927 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg city council’s four-year spending blueprint calls for major changes to public transit, pools, splash pads and 911 services, backstopped by across-the-board fee hikes.

Here are 10 takeaways from the 2024 preliminary budget:

New transit routes, fee increases

Winnipeg Transit service will be expanded to four Winnipeg suburbs over the next two years at a cost of $500,000 in 2024.

New bus routes will connect the neighbourhoods of Castlebury Meadows, Waterford Green, Aurora, Prairie Pointe and Sage Creek to the network in phases, beginning this year.

The expanded system will coincide with the complete redesign of Winnipeg Transit’s primary network to a high-frequency, spine-and-feeder model that’s on track to be fully implemented in 2025.

Along with the changes to routes, Winnipeg Transit fares will increase by 10 cents annually for four years. The WINNPass rate, however, will be frozen in 2024.

The end of Peggo?

Transit users may one day be able to pay for their ride with a tap of a debit or credit card as the city looks to upgrade its fare collection system.

Winnipeg Transit is being asked to review its fare structure, policies and technologies and report back with a new strategy to implement a “modern fare collection technology.”

The goal is to improve on the current Peggo card system, which has caused headaches for riders, owing to the time it takes to reload funds onto the card.

The city has set aside $6.5 million for an automatic fare collection system upgrade in 2024.

Pool closures and new splash pads:

Three community pools and 20 wading pools will be closed under the current spending plan, with the intent to replace the aging recreation facilities with low-maintenance splash pads.

Happyland outdoor pool, Windsor Park outdoor pool, and Eldon Ross indoor pool are all on the chopping block as the facilities are at the end of their operational life, the city said.

Another 20 wading pools will be decommissioned or replaced owing to their age and the cost to maintain and staff the pools. Spray pads do not require a lifeguard to be on site.

The budget proposes spending $20 million to add new spray pads in Winakwa, Tyndall Park, south Winnipeg, Chalmers, Bruce Park, Beryl Watts, Norberry-Glenlee, Keenleyside Park, Tuxedo and Riverview.

Monthly 911 fees:

Winnipeg residents can expect to see a new fee on their phone bill this summer to cover 911 expenses.

City council is proposing to charge $1 per month to finance the costs of operating and upgrading the city’s 911 system starting July 1.

The fee will be applied to every active phone line associated with a Winnipeg address.

It is anticipated phone carriers will collect and remit the fee to the city. Regulatory approval from the province will be required.

The city estimates the fee will raise $7.5 million annually.

Trees budget growing:

Spending on Winnipeg’s tree canopy is forecast to increase by 45 per cent by 2027, with the urban forestry operating budget growing by about $11 million. The city’s spending strategy will initially focus on pruning, with plans to ramp up maintenance to reach the seven-year and 12-year pruning cycle.

Larger spending increases in 2026 and 2027 will allow the city to plant trees faster after scaling up plans and capacity in the interim.

Multi-family garbage fees:

The city will begin charging a new multi-unit waste diversion fee starting in 2025.

The levy will cost $46 per unit with the expectation landlords will pass on the cost increase to their tenants.

Meantime, garbage collection fees for single-family homes will go up $10 to about $80 per dwelling beginning this year.

City council is also ordering a review of the solid waste utility rate structure and propose a model that allows for cost recovery, waste diversion and composting.

Library funding:

Nearly $6 million has been set aside to launch a new library in northwest Winnipeg and increase library hours and security.

Of the new spending, $4.7 million is for the new branch in the growing region of the city, something that was previously deferred.

The library is expected to open in a leased space in the Garden City neighbourhood and will offer universal access to a full range of library services and programs.

The city still needs to obtain a estimate before construction will start.

Snow clearing gets boost:

By 2027, Winnipeg’s snow-clearing budget will increase to $52 million, but don’t expect any change to service levels.

The city is proposing incremental, $3-million increases to its snow-clearing budget — the first in years — to better reflect what the city actually spends to keep streets and sidewalks clear of snow and ice.

The city has been consistently over its snow-clearing budget for the past two decades, municipal finance officials said.

No changes to the city’s snow-clearing policy are proposed in the budget.

Business tax freeze:

The city is freezing its business tax rate at 4.84 per cent this year, which is the same rate charged in 2023.

The budget also recommends the city maintain the small business tax credit at $47,500. It provides a credit in the amount of “all municipal business taxes owed for taxable businesses” that occupy a property with an annual rental value of $47,500 or less, according to budget documents.

The tax generates $60 million in revenue for the city.

Landfill expansion:

The city is building more dumping capacity at the Brady Road landfill at a cost of $38.7 million.

According to the city, there is “little to no capacity left” in the existing cells at the dump. The six-year expansion plan includes the construction of new cells on the south side of the facility.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca