My Vision for Winnipeg

Affordability, Accountability, Achievable Change

I will bring forward a first-year general municipal property tax freeze, followed by an annual cap of 2.99%, and make spending discipline a central responsibility of City Hall. This framework sets out our priorities for affordability, public safety, infrastructure and public accountability.

We will protect essential spending and frontline services, redirect resources from management to service delivery, and strengthen oversight and transparency so residents can see what their money pays for. Our focus will be on sustaining investment in infrastructure, public safety and transit, and supporting the people who deliver essential services to Winnipeggers every day.

General municipal property taxes

The first year means the first annual municipal budget following election. I will propose a 0% increase in the general municipal property tax levy on the existing assessment base in that year, then cap annual increases on that same basis at 2.99% for each remaining year of the term. Revenue from new assessment growth will be reported separately.

Accountability on Road Repairs & Construction

Direct frontage levy revenues to eligible roads, sidewalks, curbs, lanes and boulevards, rather than general operations, through a transparent allocation policy.

We will publish an annual breakdown showing how much the frontage levy raises, which projects it funds, and progress on those projects, so residents can see where their money is going.

More police officers and dedicated funding

I will bring forward a plan to add 50 new uniformed police officers in each of the first two budget years, for 100 additional officers. These will be new positions, beyond replacement hiring, with recruitment, training and deployment planned to strengthen frontline policing.

To support this commitment, I will propose a dedicated police fee of $3.99 per month,  less than  the cost of a Netflix Subscription for each property charged. The fee will be separately disclosed from general municipal property taxes, and every dollar collected will be dedicated to the additional officers.

The proposed approach is a dedicated charge and will initially work similar in concept to the frontage levy. I will ask Premier Wab Kinew and the provincial government to bring forward an amendment to The City of Winnipeg Charter authorizing a dedicated public safety levy to support these additional officers, with clear rules for its use and public reporting, subject to approval by the Manitoba Legislature.

Water sewer and waste collection

I will propose freezing water and sewer rates and waste collection fees at their levels when the first budget takes effect, for two years. The budget review must identify lawful funding while protecting operations, required reserves, debt obligations and essential infrastructure, including the North End plant. Utility surpluses and changes to transfers cannot be assumed to be available.

I will seek independent Public Utilities Board oversight of water and sewer rates, subject to confirmation of jurisdiction and any required provincial action.

Spending discipline and procurement accountability

City Hall must address spending discipline before asking residents to pay more. My approach is to examine spending line by line, strengthen competition for public contracts and redirect administrative resources toward frontline services. Any claim of savings must be supported by a costed action and a measurable result.

Open competition and sole source contracts

I will propose tighter rules for sole-source and other non-competitive procurement, with open competition as the default. Exceptions must have a documented justification, appropriate approval and a clear explanation of why competition was impractical. Legitimate emergency, compatibility and other lawful exceptions must remain workable.

Commission an independent performance review and audit of non-competitive contracting. Publish timely information on suppliers, contract values, reasons for exceptions, approving authorities, amendments and final costs, subject to lawful privacy and commercial protections. Review repeat exceptions and contract splitting, and report on corrective action.

A contract awarded without competition is not, by itself, evidence of wrongdoing. Its total value is not an achievable saving. Savings must reflect the net cost reduction for comparable work, quality and risk, after implementation costs.

Illustrative savings targets for review

We will conduct a line-by-line review of every department’s budget to challenge spending, identify efficiencies and redirect resources toward frontline services.

A single public savings register will track each proposed action, its starting budget, the person responsible, implementation timeline and costs, and effects on services. Every saving will be counted once, with any overlap against existing budget targets identified. Recurring savings, one-time savings and spending reallocations will be reported separately, with a clear explanation of what each can fund.

Department reviews and community investment

Consulting and administrative spending

I will propose a freeze on new non-essential external consulting and test a reduction of up to 40% against a verified, controllable baseline. Essential technical, legal and safety work will be identified before changes.

Review every department line by line, including councillor ward funds. Examine processes, automation, fleet use and administrative overhead. Reallocate resources from management to frontline delivery where service and workload evidence support the change.

Planning Property and Development

Review fee forecasts, staffing costs, vacancies and approval processes to address any verified departmental shortfall. Protect timely permitting and lawful service obligations. Publish a plan that distinguishes expenditure reductions, realistic revenue changes and one-time corrections.

Redirecting bike lane funding to community priorities

I will propose redirecting 50% of dedicated bike-lane program funding toward our homelessness strategy and improvements to arenas and community centres. A review of the City’s annual and multiyear spending plans will identify the funding and projects to be redirected, taking existing commitments into account.

Funding redirected to arenas and community centres will support repairs and improvements. Funding for homelessness will be matched to the projects and services it can support.

Public oversight and budget delivery

Public audits and project disclosure

I will bring forward the following reviews with clear mandates, independent expertise where appropriate, and public findings subject to lawful confidentiality requirements. An audit request does not imply a finding of misconduct.

• A financial audit of the North End Water Pollution Control Centre project, including costs, procurement, funding and financial risks.

• A forensic audit of Housing Accelerator Fund expenditures, with the scope and evidence requirements set before the work begins.

• Disclosure of project financials, cost estimates, revenues, procurement processes and funding sources for federally funded housing proposed or built on City-owned land.

• A performance review of discretionary and non-discretionary City permitting approvals for those housing projects, distinguishing legal requirements from policy choices.

• An external performance review and audit of legal services provided to the City, with privileged information protected.

• External performance reviews and audits of senior managers, department heads and corporate officers, using lawful employment processes and clear performance criteria.

• Performance review of Legal Services and Sole Source Contracts

Council and community accountability

Include all 15 elected councillors in the budget working group. Propose rotating Executive Policy Committee membership through the applicable governance process to broaden oversight of operating and capital spending. Host community meetings in every ward twice a year and report on the issues raised and actions taken.

Protecting services and funding commitments

The objective is to protect essential frontline services, including police, fire and paramedic response, transit operations, snow clearing and road maintenance, while continuing responsible investment in roads, bridges, recreation and wastewater infrastructure. Proposed savings must be tested for service effects; this framework does not establish that every existing capital commitment or service level is fully funded.

We will publicly report progress, verified savings and service performance. Proposals will go through Council and any other required approvals, with costs, tradeoffs and financial risks clearly disclosed so Winnipeggers can see how decisions affect their services and their tax dollars.