Winnipeg council passes budget in 9-7 squeaker

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This article was published 16/12/2020 (2099 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg city council has narrowly passed a 2021 operating budget that lacked deep pandemic cuts.

On Wednesday, council cast a nine-to-seven vote in favour of the $1.18-billion operating budget, which depends heavily on federal support.

The city will benefit from $74.5 million of federal safe restart program funding, which will offset major pandemic losses in 2020 and provide $10.9 million in 2021.

“There’s no doubt that the federal government support to help us with our operating budget is not insignificant… You can surely predict (there) would have been very difficult decisions (without that),” said Mayor Brian Bowman.

The federal funds will allow the city to provide $1,500 grants to some small businesses that were forced to close, provide counselling to first responders, fund $2 million of affordable housing grants and create an office of economic development, among several other initiatives.

“I think it’s a balanced and sustainable fiscal blueprint to help guide our city through the uncertainty caused by the pandemic,” said Bowman.

The mayor said a $50-million, three-year recreation and libraries strategy, which is funded solely by the province, will benefit many Winnipeggers.

Those spending priorities weren’t enough to win over seven councillors who rejected the operating budget. The opponents included council speaker Devi Sharma and acting deputy mayor Vivian Santos.

Santos argued the decision to increase the police operating budget to $301 million, up from $294 million this year, continues a legacy of funding law enforcement at the expense of other services.

“We have been constantly underfunding our community services, recreation and parks department, in favour of the police budget. These are systemic, long-term institutional issues,” she said.

Santos noted multiple delegates, including the group Budget for All, pushed councillors to divert some police funding to other services.

She said a “socially balanced budget” would change that, instead of the “status quo” one that passed Wednesday.

Sharma criticized the budget process for failing to provide adequate information to, and invite input from, councillors who aren’t members of the powerful executive policy committee.

“I know the process in which we arrive at casting this annual vote on the city budget could be greatly improved … The level of input of all members of council must be elevated,” she said.

Couns. Shawn Nason, Kevin Klein and Janice Lukes expressed similar concerns, arguing councillors who aren’t in that inner circle miss out on some budget meetings and extended briefings.

“Half of council is not provided the same level of information… It’s a matter of principle (that I’m) not supporting the budget,” said Lukes.

Bowman rejected those claims, arguing financial data was available to all councillors. He said council’s finance chairperson, Coun. Scott Gillingham, also reached out to every councillor for feedback.

“They’ve had unprecedented access to the financial information… All members of council have the opportunity to introduce and debate amendments,” said Bowman.

The budget includes a 2.33 per cent property tax increase next year; the city will devote $152 million to road renewal.

The overall 2021 capital budget will reach $386.4 million, up from $369.5 million in 2020.

Joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga