Police Funding Model

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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.

​Funding Model Options

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    Funding Model 1 - Status Quo

    over 1 year ago

    Targets set by Budget Working Group. The Budget Working Group includes the Mayor plus 8 City Councillors. Departments request money for specific items and the Budget Working Group makes decisions across the whole City budget.

    There would be no impact or change as this was used for the 2021 budget.

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    Funding Model 2 - Inflation Increase

    over 1 year ago

    The budget would increase by the inflation rate. Inflation is the changes in prices experienced by consumers. This model would use consumer price index for Winnipeg. To cover these costs, property taxes will not be increased. Instead, under this model it will be up to City Council to determine how to cover any inflationary increase in Police Operations.

    This would have added $413,000 to Police Budget in 2021 if this method was used.

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    Funding Model 3 - Modified Inflation

    over 1 year ago

    The rate of pay and benefits would be increased in the budget to match what is included in wage and benefit agreements. All other expenses would be increased by inflation. Inflation is the changes in prices experienced by consumers. To cover these costs, property taxes will not be increased. As in Model 2, under this model it will be up to City Council to determine how to cover any increase in Police Operations.

    The Police Budget would have been $672,000 higher in 2021 if this method was used.

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    Funding Model 4 - Public Safety Levy

    over 1 year ago

    The rate of pay and benefits would be increased in the budget to match what is included in wage and benefit agreements. All other expenses would be increased by inflation. Inflation is the changes in prices experienced by consumers. To cover these costs to Police operations, a levy would be added to ratepayer tax bills each year.

    The Police Budget would have been $672,000 higher in 2021 if this method was used. To cover the above costs, a levy would be added to raise $672,000 in 2021 if this method was used.

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    Funding Model 5 - Share of Tax Revenue Growth

    over 1 year ago

    Model five uses a fixed proportion of total property taxes to determine Police funding. Police funding would increase by a portion of the property tax volume increase. Under this model, Police funding would typically decrease in most years.

    The Police budget would have been lower by $5.6 million if this method was used.

    Example

    • 1% tax volume increase for the City = $6 million
    • Police Budget is around 25% of the total City Budget
    • Police would be allocated 25% of tax volume increase