Winnipeg, MB - The City of Winnipeg is launching a new budget consultation process to engage the citizens of Winnipeg in helping to shape the direction of the City’s budget. Deputy Mayor and Chair of Standing Policy Committee on Finance Russ Wyatt first announced these public consultations in the 2013 budget process.
The City of Winnipeg is facing a significant infrastructure deficit in its roads, sidewalks, community centres and parks. The 2014 and 2015 tax-supported operating budget projections anticipate shortfalls of $74 million and $94 million respectively. With the City’s current financial position, it is critical for City Council to understand what the public wants and expects from its civic government.
“This is a great opportunity for City Council to hear from citizens about what services are most important to them,” said Mayor Sam Katz. “Given the limited dollars available, it’s important that we have citizen input to help inform where taxpayer dollars should be spent.”
The citizens of Winnipeg will be asked questions relating to:
- What the priorities of the City should be,
- What service levels they expect,
- What choices they would make if they were in charge of the City’s budget.
After a competitive bid process, the City of Winnipeg has selected MNP to independently moderate an open budget consultation process, which includes receiving input from City Councillors, stakeholders and citizens of Winnipeg.
The consultation process will ensure there are many ways for the citizens of Winnipeg to have their say, including public forums, workshop sessions, an on-line survey, written submissions and feedback through social media, such as Twitter. In addition, information will be provided to the public throughout this process about where the money comes from to support municipal services and how the money is spent in the delivery of these services.
“This is the first year initiating a process of this size and scope and I hope it will be an ongoing process that we will continue to improve and refine,” said Deputy Mayor Wyatt. “Hearing from the public is an important part of the budget process. We hope Winnipeggers will take the opportunity to get engaged in this process, so we get a good sense of what’s important to them, and how we can best match limited resources to these priorities.”
More information about how to get involved in this important process will be available over the next few weeks. Consultations are expected to launch in early June.