City Council Adopts Budget Focused on Winnipeg Streets and Parks and Recreation

Released: December 17, 2013 at 2:52 p.m.
Investment in local and regional street renewal to total a record $84.2 million in 2014

Winnipeg, MB - Winnipeg City Council today adopted a budget focused on repairing Winnipeg streets and on investing in community parks and recreation, with record investment in local and regional street repair. Council adopted the 2014 Capital Budget, approved in principle the 2015 to 2019 Five-Year Forecast, adopted the 2014 Operating Budget and received as information the financial plans for 2015 and 2016.

"Fixing our streets is our citizens’ top priority and this budget includes a long-term plan to repair our local streets, back lanes and sidewalks, and a new plan for regional streets,” said Mayor Sam Katz. “The budget also places increased emphasis on providing quality parks and recreation spaces throughout our City, while finding ways to keep our taxes among the lowest among major Canadian cities.”

The Adopted Operating Budget provides for $968.9 million in tax-supported expenditures in 2014, with $580.3 million for utilities and special operating agencies, for a combined operating budget of $1.5 billion of investments in services, programs and infrastructure improvements for Winnipeggers.

“The City of Winnipeg is keeping the general property tax increase low, at 2.95 per cent, to address inflationary pressures and service costs, with two points of the increase being dedicated entirely to streets,” said Councillor Russ Wyatt, Chair of the Standing Policy Committee on Finance. “This budget allows us to make strategic investments in the things that Winnipeggers have told us are their priorities, such as regional and local street repairs and community recreation facilities, while finding cost-savings to keep taxes low.”

Highlights of the approved budget include:

Local and regional streets, sidewalks, back lanes

  • New Regional Street Renewal Reserve will provide an enhanced program of $14.3 million, for a total of $35.3 million in 2014 for regional street repair
  • The Local Street Renewal Reserve will provide an enhanced program of $18.2 million, for a total of $48.9 million in 2014 for local streets, back lanes and sidewalks
  • Total local and regional street renewal is $84.2 million in 2014, an increase of $53.3 million or 173 per cent compared to 2012, prior to thecreation of these street renewal reserves

Parks and recreation, community services

  • Creating a new grant to the YMCA-YWCA on a new strategic partnership for the construction of three new facilities over the next 11 years, subject to 1/3 cost-sharing between the City, Province of Manitoba and YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg. Planning is to commence in 2014 for the first facility in the South West part of the City of Winnipeg, with estimated costs and timing of this full initiative as follows:
  1. a. First facility in the South West part of the City of Winnipeg - $35 million or $11.667 million each between 2014 and 2016,
  2. b. Second facility in the North East part of the City of Winnipeg - $45 million or $15 million each between 2018 and 2020, and
  3. c. Third facility in the North West part of the City of Winnipeg - $60 million or $20 million each between 2022 and 2024.
  • A new Parks and Recreation Enhancement Program with a budget of $6.3 million. Projects include a new spray pad at Machray Park, a renovation and new indoor spray pad at Seven Oaks Indoor Pool, and the Transcona Centennial Pool project, which includes the construction of a new outdoor pool
  • Allocating nearly $1.7 million to re-open Sherbrook Pool, with the balance of funding required to repair the building envelope and mechanical and electrical systems to come from the provincial Winnipeg Community Infrastructure Program, in conjunction with funding from private/not-for-profit groups
  • Investing $1 million on improvements to athletic fields, including $600,000 for Art McOuat Memorial Park in St. Boniface
  • Continuation of the Library Redevelopment Program, a long-term strategy to replace or renovate existing city libraries, for the first time in decades
  • Increasing the budget for library materials by 11 per cent, or $300,000, resulting in a $3,084,770 library materials budget in 2014

    • Aboriginal youth training program

    • A new Aboriginal youth training program, in the amount of up to $750,000, with 1/3 funding from the City of Winnipeg, 1/3 raised by the private sector, and 1/3 requested from the Province of Manitoba. The program will be geared to training Aboriginal youth in contractor trades involving roads and bridges, tying into the opportunity for employment due to Winnipeg’s increase in funding for core infrastructure.

    Transit, active transportation and reforestation

    • City’s contribution to Transit funding to increase by 3.8 per cent to $47.6 million for a total transit operating budget of $172 million
    • $130 million over six years for Transit bus replacement
    • Doubling the investment in Active Transportation Corridors to help build safe pedestrian and cycling facilities near elementary schools
    • Increasing the City of Winnipeg reforestation budget from $383,000 to $1 million, with up to $500,000 allocated to remove and replace City-owned Schubert Cherry trees that have succumbed to Black Knot or other environmental factors

    Public safety

    • Increasing the police budget by 9.1 percent, or $21.2 million, excluding transfer to capital, for a total budget of $259.1 million
    • Increasing the fire paramedic services budget by 2.9 per cent, or $4.8 million, excluding transfer to capital, to $167.6 million
    • Public safety now accounts for more than 44 per cent of the tax-supported budget.

    The 2014 Budget builds on the City’s long-term plan to improve the quality of life for all of our citizens by renewing our infrastructure, focusing on core services, and building communities through libraries, parks and recreation. Investing in citizens’ priorities ensures that Winnipeg continues to be a great place to live, work and play, now and in the future.

    News

    Was this information helpful?

    How can we make this web page better?

    Information collected will be used to improve our website. Do not use this form to submit a request for service or information because it will not be forwarded to departments for response. To submit a request for service or information, contact 311.

    This form is not intended to collect personal information; however, any personal information you choose to include in your comments is collected by the City of Winnipeg under the authority of section 36(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for the purpose of improving our website and will not be used or disclosed for any other purposes, except as authorized by law. Contact the Corporate Access and Privacy Officer by mail (City Clerk’s Department, Susan A. Thompson Building, 510 Main Street, Winnipeg MB, R3B 1B9) or by telephone (311) if you have any questions about the collection of this information.