Mayor speaks out on proposed police pension changes, says there are 2 choices

Bowman says only two options for police pension Mayor Brian Bowman spoke out about the police pension at a breakfast Friday morning.

WINNIPEG -- Winnipeg’s mayor spoke out Friday morning about proposed changes to the police pension, and said they are two choices: unsustainable benefits or protecting positions.

“The decision is going to come down, as we can see very clearly, between a choice between supporting unsustainable pension benefits or better protecting frontline police officer positions,” said Mayor Brian Bowman.

Bowman made the comments at a Manitoba Heavy Construction Association breakfast just days after the Winnipeg Police Association said it is filing a grievance over the proposed changes.

President of the police association Moe Sabourin told CTV News Winnipeg on Tuesday that he’s delivered the documents to Bowman, who confirmed he received them and handed them over to the city’s legal team. An arbitrator could rule on the matter.

On Tuesday morning, Bowman’s executive police committee passed a proposal that would see overtime removed as a pensionable earning, and officer contributions increased while the city’s share would decrease.

City council is voting on the proposed changes next week.

- With files from CTV’s Jeff Keele.