WINNIPEG, MB: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Winnipeg city council to cut spending and lower the proposed property tax increase ahead of the release of the 2025 budget update.

“Winnipeg taxpayers can’t afford a massive tax hike,” said Gage Haubrich, CTF Prairie Director. “Families are dealing with sky-high grocery prices and the last thing they need are city councillors trying to grab more money from their pockets.”

Winnipeg’s budget update today will propose to hike property taxes by 5.95 per cent in 2025, according to media reports.

The proposed hike will the be largest property tax increase in Winnipeg since 1990. Current Mayor Scott Gillingham promised to limit property hikes to 3.5 per cent annually while running for election.

From 2019 to 2023, Winnipeg’s population grew by seven per cent, but the city spent 12 per cent more over the same period.

In 2023, the city spent $19.9 million more than budgeted for “general government.” In 2022, it overspent the same category by $24.8 million.

The mayor was paid $217,791 last year. The base pay for a city councillor is $121,500. For context, the premier is paid about $196,000 and base MLA pay is $106,603.00.

“The best place to start to find savings is to make sure that mayor and council aren’t making more than the people in charge of running the province,” Haubrich said. “Gillingham needs to roll up his sleeves and find some savings because Winnipeggers can’t afford his massive tax hike.”