Winnipeg, MB – The preliminary 2020-2023 multi-year balanced budgets maintain annual support for the new Community Safety and Crime Prevention Program which strengthens local crime prevention and community safety efforts. Continued support for the Downtown Public Safety Strategy and an expansion of 24 hour safe spaces are also proposed. The preliminary 2020-2023 multi-year balanced budgets continue historic investments into the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS), maintaining it as the largest portion of the tax supported operating budget.
“As our community continues to face safety challenges, we must better leverage community expertise while maintaining historic funding for our Winnipeg Police Service,” said Mayor Brian Bowman. “We continue to look at ways to better address community safety that can complement the vital work of our Winnipeg Police Service.”
A key recommendation of the 2019 Illicit Drug Task Force Report is to support an expansion of community run 24 hour safe spaces. These spaces offer a safe environment for vulnerable people in our community to rest, access food, and social resources and supports. The preliminary 2020-2023 multi-year balanced budgets propose a total new investment of $1 million over the next four years to support 24 hour safe spaces.
The preliminary 2020-2023 multi-year balanced budgets maintain support for Phase 2 of the Downtown Public Safety Strategy with the provision of new operating funds for a Community Connections space at the Millennium Library. The Community Connections space will assist vulnerable and at risk residents to make important connections to social services.
Annual investments of $100,000 for the new Community Safety and Crime Prevention Program will continue for the next three years to support efforts that strengthen local crime prevention and community safety efforts.
When the multi-year balanced budget process began, the WPS were among a number of City of Winnipeg departments asked to reach 2% annual expenditure growth targets in their operating budget. As a result, the recommendation made by the WPS was to reduce the complement of sworn officers by 34 positions, as well as 25 cadet positions.
Around the same time, City Council made the decision to approve reforms to the Police Pension Plan to ensure sustainability for its members andfor property taxpayers. The reforms have made approximately $14.7 million in pension savings available and approved by Council to be reinvested back into the WPS over the next four years. This provides the option to the WPS to avoid reducing the complement of sworn officers and cadets while meeting their operating expenditure targets. This also reflects the recommendation of the Winnipeg Police Board to the Budget Working Group in December 2019.
A further $1.5 million in annual savings will be available to the WPS beginning in 2021 as a result of reforms to pensionable overtime to support police operations.
The preliminary 2020-2023 multi-year balanced operating budgets continue to propose historic investments by increasing the operating budget for police by an average of 2% annually from $289.4 million in 2019 (net of capital expenditures) to over $313.1 million by 2023.