The City of Winnipeg has released its preliminary multi-year budget and to achieved it has proposed cuts to services in some areas, spending in others.

Libraries including the Millennium branch will no longer be open on Sundays and will close by 8:00 pm the rest of the week.

Winnipeg Transit will see cuts to some routes that will happen by reducing operating hours. Some routes also may not operate on the weekend. On a positive note children under 12 will be able to ride transit for free beginning in 2021. Eligible low income riders will be able to get a 30% reduction in fares beginning in May 2020 which will climb to 50% by May 2022.

“As Winnipeg grows, it will increasingly be important to have a modern public transit system and that’s why Winnipeg Transit remains a top priority in the multi-year balanced budgets,” said Mayor Brian Bowman.

Grants to community groups will also be cut by 10 per cent.

The budget will set aside $25 million for the construction of two new Fire stations in Waverley West and Windsor Park. The new station in Windsor Park would combine current station 9 and station 15 into one facility.

The city will also invest more than $25 million in the Urban Forest Enhancement Program.

Leisure Guide programming will drop by 50% beginning in January 2021. A review will be performed to decide which programs will be cut.

The city plans on selling off John Blumberg Golf Course and re-purpose up to 30% of all city-owned golf lands as part of a plan to create a new Transformative Fund. The fund would be financed by the sale of certain assets the city has deemed surplus.

The budget proposal also includes tax increases over the next four years that will be capped at 2.33% per year. For 2020 that means the average homeowner will pay an additional $41 in property taxes.

The preliminary multi-year budget still needs to be approved by full council. A vote has been scheduled at a special meeting of Council on March 25, 2020.

© News4.ca 2020