Winnipeg’s population has surged by 65,000 in just three years, but City staffing levels haven’t kept pace — leaving critical services under strain. Mayor Scott Gillingham today highlighted the need for urgent reinvestment in key City services ahead of next week's release of the 2025 budget update.
“In 2014, the City of Winnipeg had 125.7 employees for every 10,000 residents. By 2024, that number dropped to 114.5 employees per 10,000 residents—a reduction of nearly 9%,” said Gillingham. “If we had maintained the same staffing levels per capita as in 2014, we would have over 900 more employees today delivering the essential services Winnipeggers rely on.”
This decline in staffing levels is evident across many areas, including public safety. The number of police officers per 10,000 residents has decreased from 20.3 in 2014 to 16.8 in 2023. Similarly, firefighter numbers have fallen slightly, from 12.1 per 10,000 residents in 2014 to 11.4 in 2023. These reductions highlight the City’s focus on controlling costs over the last decade, but also underscore the growing challenge of meeting service demands with fewer resources.
Compounding the issue, the majority of new tax revenue generated by Winnipeg’s rapid population growth goes to the federal and provincial governments. “The City is left to do more with less, stretching resources to meet the needs of a larger population,” Gillingham explained.
The City’s 2025 budget update will be unveiled on December 11th, detailing plans to enhance services and ensure Winnipeg is well-positioned to meet the needs of its residents today and in the years to come.
“Winnipeg has grown, and so have the demands on our services—especially public safety and infrastructure,” said Councillor Jeff Browaty, Chair of Finance. “The upcoming budget will outline how we can strategically address these challenges to stabilize City finances, meet the needs of residents, and prepare for future growth.”
For more information, please contact:
Colin Fast
Director of Communications
Office of the Mayor, City of Winnipeg
cfast@winnipeg.ca / 204-803-6406