Police, fire services want city to cover budget shortfalls

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This article was published 05/11/2021 (1049 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg’s emergency service departments say there is no alternative to having the city cover their multi-million-dollar projected budget shortfalls that wouldn’t diminish the critical work they provide.

In October, city council’s finance committee ordered both the Winnipeg Police Service and Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service to offer new options to cover cost overruns, instead of relying on the city’s “rainy day” fund (financial stabilization reserve).

WPS expects to end 2021 with a $7.3-million shortfall; WFPS anticipates a $3.4-million overrun.

In new reports, both services say the reserve is still the best option to fill the financial gaps.

“As the fiscal year is virtually at an end and the budget is all but expended, there are no alternative funding options,” the police report notes. The WPS says it arrived at that conclusion after consulting with the Winnipeg Police Board.

The WFPS suggests it could find $800,000 of savings by ceasing firefighter overtime call-ins from Nov. 13 to Dec. 31, deferring equipment expenses and deferring the recruitment of a personal protective equipment repair technician — all of which would risk service levels and/or staff safety.

“Given these risks to public health and safety, the department recommends that the original request (to use the rainy day fund) be approved,” the report notes.

Coun. Sherri Rollins, who pushed for the reports, accused the WPS of failing to provide financial data.

“We’ve asked for financial information and, in effect, they’ve said: we are providing you none. That is troubling,” Rollins said Friday.

She plans to push for more information at the Nov. 12 finance committee meeting. Rollins said it’s no surprise the WFPS is asking for extra cash to cover overtime costs, especially during a pandemic, but still wants more information from that service as well.

Coun. Scott Gillingham, finance committee chairman, said he doubts either service could find enough funding to cover shortfalls with less than two months left in the year. “I’m not surprised each department has said it’s impossible to do without serious reductions in service.”

However, the councillor would also like more information before he decides if the city should cover the requested overruns.

Police blame their added costs largely on pension changes; an actuarial assessment found the pension plan now falls $5.8-million short. WPS also expects to fall $1.5 million short of a $6.1-million in-year savings target set in the 2021 budget, which is largely linked to the cancellation of a council-ordered police pension overhaul.

The chairman of the Winnipeg Police Board says WPS cost pressures have been shared publicly in reports throughout the year, so concerns about a lack of information are unfounded.

Coun. Markus Chambers said cutting spending now would threaten the service Winnipeggers receive.

“For this to come at the end of the year… it starts to (risk) not having a sufficient and adequate, effective service delivered by Winnipeg police,” said Chambers, adding recent scrutiny over the WPS budget is directly linked to public pressure to defund police.

Winnipeg Police Service and Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service representatives declined interview requests Friday.

The extra funding requests come as a new finance report predicts a city-wide $17.3-million operating shortfall, plus a separate $9.6-million deficit for Winnipeg Transit. The city blames those losses primarily on COVID-19 pandemic costs and lost revenue, as well as the emergency services overruns.

joyanne.pursaga@freespress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga