Manitoba cities, towns to see more money as province ends 6-year municipal funding freeze
CBC
Manitoba's Progressive Conservative government is ending a municipal funding freeze that dates back to 2017, the second year of Brian Pallister's time in office.
Premier Heather Stefanson announced Friday the province will hand over $217 million to cities, towns and rural municipalities this year, an increase of $47 million over the funding it provided in 2022.
In each of the the previous six years, the province had not increased this pot of money, prompting mayors and reeves across the province to complain they had to absorb the impact of rising labour and fuel costs, among other sources of inflationary pressure.
Stefanson said the additional funding will be part of a provincial budget that Finance Minister Cliff Cullen will table on March 7.
The City of Winnipeg will receive the largest funding increase among Manitoba municipalities: $30 million, including a transit grant announced in December.
But on a percentage basis, the Manitoba capital is receiving a smaller increase than other municipalities. Funding for Winnipeg is rising 25 per cent, while most other municipalities will receive hikes closer to the 50, 60 and 70 per cent ranges.
The rural municipality of Cornwallis, which surrounds the city of Brandon, will receive a 78-per-cent funding hike, the largest increase in the province.
Stefanson said the province had to balance the needs of municipalities when it came up with its funding formula, which it did not publish.
Winnipeg city council finance chair Jeff Browaty, who attended the announcement in place of Mayor Scott Gillingham, said he was nonetheless pleased to see more money following a six-year freeze.
He said he hopes to see further increases in provincial funding in the coming years.
Stefanson would not say that will happen.
Friday's announcement was the latest in a series of PC spending pledges.
A provincial election is slated for Oct. 3.