Winnipeg, MB – The City of Winnipeg remains committed to maintaining essential services while balancing the health, safety, and well-being of our employees and residents; however, the City also needs to be a responsible trustee of public funds and ensure prudent spending of taxpayers’ money.
On March 16, 2020, we closed all City-owned and operated recreation centres, pools, arenas, and libraries, and suspended all programming as a response to recommendations from Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living. As a result of those closures, 674 non-permanent staff who work in these facilities will be temporarily laid off.
“COVID-19 is having a tremendous impact on our community and our economy, and the closure of City facilities has resulted in a significant reduction in our services,” said Mike Ruta, Interim Chief Administrative Officer. “While we want to support our employees, we also need to ensure we are being responsible with taxpayers’ money. We cannot continue to pay employees’ salaries while facilities remain closed and community programs are not available.”
The City recognizes that all employees provide important services. Anyone affected by the temporary lay-offs should not see this as a reflection of their value to the City, nor as a reflection on their hard work and dedication to providing important services to our residents. The City has made efforts to find alternate, meaningful work for these employees; however, at this time there is not enough available.
“As soon as it is safe to open our facilities again and resume programming, we look forward to welcoming our employees back to work,” said Ruta. “In the meantime, our staff in Human Resource Services will work with employees impacted by this temporary lay-off to help them access any federal programs that may be available.”
The temporary lay-offs will be effective Saturday, April 25, 2020. Employees who are temporarily laid off will have access to mental health supports, and will continue to be included in communications from their employer. For those employees who are in receipt of regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, the City has registered a Supplementary Unemployment Benefit Plan (SUBP) with the Government of Canada. The SUBP will provide a top-up to 75% of their regular gross weekly salary, for a period of four weeks, while they are on temporary lay-off.
“We recognize that this is a difficult time for many, especially those who are now facing the reality of being temporarily without a job. This was not a decision that we came to easily. Every employee is important to us, and we will continue to support them as we move forward,” concluded Ruta.