Police Funding Model

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Consultation has concluded.


The City of Winnipeg is considering a Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) funding model that ensures planning certainty for the City and sustainable and predictable funding for the WPS. There are five model options that are being considered.

The increased demand on City services, due largely to growth and other factors, has outpaced the City’s ability to fund tax-supported services adequately, so ensuring all parts of the budget are sustainable is important for the financial health of our city. In this context, sustainability refers to the taxpayer’s ability to sustain the cost of policing.


The City of Winnipeg is considering a Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) funding model that ensures planning certainty for the City and sustainable and predictable funding for the WPS. There are five model options that are being considered.

The increased demand on City services, due largely to growth and other factors, has outpaced the City’s ability to fund tax-supported services adequately, so ensuring all parts of the budget are sustainable is important for the financial health of our city. In this context, sustainability refers to the taxpayer’s ability to sustain the cost of policing.

Background

In late 2020, Council directed the Public Service to bring forward options and recommendation for Council's consideration on a multi-year funding formula for the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) that will provide planning certainty for the City of Winnipeg and a sustainable and predictable funding level for the WPS.

This work includes:

  • a jurisdictional scan of other formula-driven models for police services;
  • working collaboratively to seek input from the Winnipeg Police Services Board, members of Council and the WPS;
  • a statistically representative third-party survey of Winnipeg residents concerning the funding of the WPS,
  • supporting the Police Board, Chair of Protection, Community Services, and Parks, and Chair of Finance through the Office of Public Engagement to hold six events: one city-wide event and five community committee events (Assiniboia; City Centre; East Kildonan - Transcona, Lord Selkirk-West Kildonan and Riel) designed to collect input from members of the public including Black, Indigenous and people of colour, LGBT2SQ*, community groups and associations.

Consultation has concluded.

Implementation of a funding model is subject to a Council decision.