Unexpected savings allow Winnipeg Police Service to hit 2024 budget targets
Mayor warns of tough choices ahead, as city still faces $23-million deficit for this year
The City of Winnipeg caught an unexpected break as it prepares to release next year's budget after the Winnipeg Police Service announced it would meet an expense management target set by council.
City council has told the police they need to find $7 million in savings each year. Last month, the service said it would fall $2.2 million short of that goal.
The service had applied for an over-expenditure request, but last week that was deferred until January after acting chief Art Stannard told the finance committee they had reached their target.
"We've done further review of our Q4 forecast and everything looks good for us to be within budget for the year," Stannard said.
Council approved a budget of $333 million for the police service in 2024.
A new quarterly financial report shows the police saved $500,000 on rent due to a delay moving into the new north district station.
The service also saw increased revenue from criminal record checks and special-duty policing, and savings from hiring delays and lower overtime costs.
Mayor Scott Gillingham has warned the city faces tough financial choices. The city is facing a $23-million projected deficit this year. Its latest financial forecast showed it might need to carry $9 million over to next year, with no money in its reserve fund.
The city's finance chair says the savings from the police won't change the overall financial picture for the city very much.
"$2 million one way or the other in a $1.2-billion budget isn't super material, but at the end of the day every dollar counts when we're as tight as things are at City Hall," Coun. Jeff Browaty said in an interview.
Gillingham commissioned a poll asking Winnipeggers for their thoughts on how the city can get improve its finances. The poll conducted by Probe Research surveyed 480 adults from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1, and cannot be given a margin of error because it involved an online panel.
In the mayor's poll, Winnipeggers were evenly split over whether they supported giving the city the power to levy new taxes.
But when asked their preferred way for the city to generate more money, 43 per cent favoured more money from the province, while 16 per cent supported new taxes.
Gillingham says it's clear people understand the city needs more money.
"People understand that our city's growing, we've grown by 65,000 people in the last three years, and there's pressure on our city services to keep delivering services for a growing city."
The budget will be released next Wednesday.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
