City of Winnipeg looks at delaying projects to tackle province’s wish list

The installation of new spray pads and improvements to road safety could be shelved for a year so the City of Winnipeg can pay for projects the provincial government wants instead.

In a report to be considered by the executive policy committee next week, the administration recommends council amend its 2025 capital budget, which was approved more than a year ago, to put $5 million toward the Assiniboine Park Conservancy animal health centre and $520,000 for renovations to the St. Boniface Museum.

In addition, the city would reallocate unspent funds from other projects to pay for the Waverley West fire station after the province gave the city $508,000 less than expected for its construction.

The administration says council should cancel this year’s $2.5-million spray pad program and $2.5 million road safety improvement program, to pay for the animal health centre. To pay for the fire hall, it suggests using unspent funds earmarked for the St. Boniface industrial area and Windsor Park station consolidation, as well as the Waverley West modular station and site development project.

“Obviously it’s frustrating,” said Coun. Jeff Browaty, chairman of the civic finance committee, on Tuesday.

“Council passed the budget on Jan. 29, 2025, and then we didn’t hear from the province until December of 2025 and they had different priorities for us.

“You lose spending power… we lose construction season on things like road safety and spray pads when it takes them a year or two to sign off on our strategic infrastructure basket of priorities.”

Browaty said he doesn’t understand why the province has made the two projects a priority.

“If something happens, like there is a new massive important priority for the city and the province, I can accept making those changes, but in my opinion the Assiniboine Park Conservancy animal health centre and the St. Boniface Museum renovation are maybe a little questionable,” he said.

“You lose spending power… we lose construction season on things like road safety and spray pads when it takes them a year or two to sign off on our strategic infrastructure basket of priorities.”

The finance chair said road safety, spray pads and the fire hall are just as important.

A spokesman for Glen Simard, the municipal relations minister, said in a statement the province is committed to working with the city on shared priorities, noting it gave Winnipeg $94 million for strategic projects, as well as $6.9 million it can allocate for any project it wants.

The spokesman said the province will continue to meet with the mayor and city council “to benefit Winnipeggers with better service and amenities.”

The city had been planning to build new spray pads this year at Beryl Watts Park and the Tyndall Park Community Centre, but under the recommendation, they would be delayed until 2027.

Construction of other spray pads in future years, including at Chalmers Community Centre, Bord-Aire Community Centre and the Norberry-Glenlea Community Centre, would be moved back a year; while the spray pad planned for the Riverview Community Centre in 2029 would be cancelled and considered as part of next year’s multi-year budget process.

A city spokesman said road safety projects can include new pedestrian crossings, traffic signals, rail crossing improvements and adding left turn signals at intersections.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca