Winnipeg’s 2026 budget proposes boosting firefighter complement, increasing property taxes

CTV’s Jeff Keele breaks down the proposed 2026 City of Winnipeg budget, which includes a property tax increase for homeowners.

Winnipeg’s proposed 2026 financial blueprint includes a plan to bring on substitute firefighters to cover absences, an increase to property taxes, and a multi-billion dollar allocation for capital projects and road renewals over six years.

Unveiled on Friday, Budget 2026 includes a 3.5 per cent increase to municipal property taxes. The city estimates this would cost the average homeowner an extra $75, based on a sample home assessed at $371,000.

“We need to maintain affordability for Winnipeggers,” Mayor Scott Gillingham said, adding this has been a priority for his council. Last year, property taxes increased substantially to 5.95 per cent – well above what Gillingham had promised during his election campaign.

This year’s rate is a return to his pledge.

The business tax rate remains frozen at 4.84 per cent, along with the frontage levy being maintained at $6.95 per foot, with the small business tax credit remaining at $47,500. Combined water and sewer rates are increasing by 2.8 per cent in 2026 and 4.2 per cent in 2027.

Transit

Under the proposed budget, Winnipeg Transit riders would pay higher fares in 2026. The budget includes a 10-cent increase for adult riders. However, the city is making good on its promise to beef up late-night transit service in an attempt to quell headaches with the new transit system.

Over 2026, the city hopes to add 36 positions to the service, including 28 positions for night route extensions and six new positions for expanded service. The city noted night service will be expanded on 11 fixed routes and in 10 on-request zones.

The city plans to spend $239 million over six years to add 143 buses to its fleet.

Firefighters

To curb rising overtime costs within the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, the city is trying something new—adding what are essentially substitute firefighters.

The budget proposes adding 40 new firefighters over four years, with 10 joining the service in 2026. However, the city noted these firefighters will not be assigned to any single station. Instead, they will be flexible positions used to fill absences at stations across the city.

The city is also looking to cut back on its workers compensation costs within the WFPS, which has doubled in the last three years. To do this, the budget includes a plan to launch a wellness clinic for the service. Funded from existing budget dollars, the clinic will include nine new positions for health professionals to address physical and psychological injuries.

The goal of this clinic will be to proactively reduce workers compensation claims and provide back-to-work plans, while reducing the length of time firefighters are off work.

Along with the new firefighting positions, the budget includes funding for 18 new general patrol officers in 2026. An additional 11.5 paramedic positions are also included, funded by the province.

Road renewal, snow removal and the North End Water Sewage Treatment Plant

The city looks to spend $156 million in 2026 for road renewal projects. This total does not include a planned $13 million for the city’s Route 90 improvement project and another $5.2 million allocated for land acquisition for the Route 90 and Chief Peguis Trail projects.

The city is also allotting $41.9 million over six years for the Louise Bridge rehabilitation; this includes $8 million in 2026 focusing on design work and some immediate repairs.

The city is also earmarking an extra $4.1 million in 2026 for snow removal and ice control, for a total of $50 million. This increase is part of a permanent hike included in the multi-year budget.

The budget includes $3.8 billion for capital projects over six years; the city notes it is the largest capital program ever undertaken.

This includes $547 million to fund the city’s share of the third and final phase of the North End Water Sewage Treatment Plant. The city noted it is still waiting for funding commitments from the provincial and federal governments.

However, because this funding will put the city at the top of its debt ceiling, the city will be doing a review. Meanwhile, the city noted it has a little over $30 million in its rainy day fund, though that will be reduced by $18 million to cover debt.

Beefed up Millennium Library safety, no more 911 levy and other budget highlights

The budget also includes $2.5 million for Millennium Library safety improvements. Gillingham noted these improvements will be focused on the third and fourth floor. This comes following a death by suicide inside the library earlier this year.

The city’s plan to put a $1 levy on 911 calls per phone each month has been scratched off the list. The levy was meant to cover the mandated next-gen 911 upgrades. The city noted the levy – which required provincial approval – turned out to be more complicated to implement than officials had hoped.

The city is still working with the province to find other funding sources. The city noted it will be moving forward with the next-gen 911 service without the levy. Police are expected to begin using it in 2026, with WFPS joining in the following year.

The city also plans to continue operating the Windsor Park Pool for another year, with funding included in this budget.

The budget will now go to review and will be voted on by council on Dec. 17.