Cautious optimism greets federal budget

St. Norbert–Seine River

On Nov. 4, the federal Liberal government unveiled its 2025 budget, focusing on what it termed “generational investments” to build a stronger Canadian economy in the face of global uncertainty.

For most municipalities across Canada, this budget has raised more questions than answers. With the uncertainty of trade relations with our neighbours to the south, the federal government has indicated its intent to establish new trading partners to ensure Canadian manufacturers remain competitive in the global markets. In the past, 70 per cent of Canadian manufactured goods were destined for the U.S. market. With the USMCA set for renegotiation in the next few months, Canada must recognize what stands before us over the next three years, if not longer.

Winnipeg’s mayor and councillors have been expressing the city’s funding priorities to local MPs and MLAs. The North End Winnipeg Pollution Control Centre (NEWPCC) is a critical need. While phase one and two have been cost-shared with the federal and provincial governments, funding for phase three remains questionable. The removal of phosphates and bio-nutrients to reduce impacts on Lake Winnipeg is an important component of renewal, but it does not end there. NEWPCC will run out of capacity to treat wastewater in a few years if not addressed now. This means the city will not be able to add new housing or expand treatment for industries if it wishes to continue meeting environmental requirements.

If the project is left unfunded by the two other levels of government, ratepayers will incur hefty water bills. Ottawa has announced $51 billion in infrastructure spending, so seemingly this project will fit into the scope of federal announcements.

Housing investment is an area that will dovetail into an announcement of funding the NEWPCC, as indicated above. Here in Winnipeg, council has made changes to its housing policies that allow for “as-of-right” housing in areas that previously did not exist. The new, multi-billion-dollar Build Canada Homes agency presents a potential avenue to accelerate residential construction in a city grappling with housing needs.

Despite the promising signals, a note of caution prevails. Many Manitobans have adopted a wait-and-see approach, noting that the devil is in the details. The federal budget recognizes the importance of local infrastructure, but a long-term, sustained plan is still needed to truly meet national housing and economic goals.

Civic leaders must now navigate the fine print to convert national promises into local progress. The success of this budget will ultimately be measured by the shovels that hit the ground on key projects and the flow of federal dollars into the infrastructure and industries that define Winnipeg’s economy.