The City of Winnipeg’s proposed budget holds several silver linings, but it leaves uncertainty that could impact future growth, the local chamber of commerce states.
Loren Remillard, the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce president, was looking for answers on the completion of the north end sewage treatment plant. It didn’t arrive in the city’s preliminary budget update for 2025, unveiled Wednesday.
“If we do not get certainty and clarity around when that will come to completion, we may not be in a position as a city to welcome … new large-scale industrial development,” Remillard said, adding sewer and water hook-ups are needed for such investment.
A city report earlier this year suggested the treatment plant’s upgrade could cost $3 billion, a surge of hundreds of millions of dollars when compared to the prior $2.38-billion estimate.
Developments like CentrePort, Manitoba’s growing trimodal inland port, could be affected if the sewage plant isn’t sorted out, Remillard noted.
The Winnipeg chamber believes the city also needs to build up its fiscal stabilization reserve fund after a COVID-19 pandemic-era depletion.
The City of Winnipeg is facing an immediate fiscal crisis, which the budget answers, Remillard added.
He applauded the city for proposing to freeze the business tax during a time where companies are “really struggling” and dealing with significant debt loads.
“Business is also the way that we’re going to grow ourselves out of the current and long-term crisis.”
Both the chamber and the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board deemed the city’s plan to hire more permitting staff positions a positive step.
Homebuyers often have renovations in mind; a quicker and more efficient process would help the market, said WRREB spokesman Jeremy Davis.
Rhiannon Hayes, chief operating officer of the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, commended the city for continuing funding of the Downtown Community Safety Partnership.
“We know that public safety is absolutely a top priority for our members (and) also the general public,” she said.
The BIZ was “pleased” to see downtown funding sprinkled through the budget, but it’s waiting for more details, Hayes added.
Gabrielle Piché
Reporter
Gabrielle Piché reports on business for the Free Press. She interned at the Free Press and worked for its sister outlet, Canstar Community News, before entering the business beat in 2021. Read more about Gabrielle.
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