Scott Gillingham today released his full election platform and financial plan, outlining how he will build on four years of progress with new investments in emergency services, neighbourhoods, infrastructure and customer service while keeping City finances on a sustainable path.
The Building Winnipeg platform brings together Gillingham's campaign commitments, identifies approximately $4 million in new spending priorities for 2027 and outlines how those investments can be funded through existing resources, savings and efficiencies.
“Winnipeg has made real progress over the past four years, and I believe our best days are still ahead of us,” said Gillingham. “We're growing, we're building more housing, we're seeing major new investment downtown, and we're improving the services people rely on. My plan is about building on that progress, tackling the challenges we still face, and making sure we can afford to deliver on our commitments.”
The financial plan commits to maintaining the previously approved 3.5% property tax increase for 2027, freezing water and sewer rates in 2027, and maintaining the current business tax rate.
Beginning in 2028, Gillingham would work with City Council to establish a new four-year property tax framework that meets three criteria: keeping increases close to inflation, respecting affordability concerns, and protecting essential City services. The plan also allows for a potential frontage levy increase in 2028, if necessary to maintain infrastructure investment against inflation.
Gillingham also proposed a "priority funding model" to gradually escalate service improvements in his platform.
“People want better services, but they also want to know how we're going to pay for them,” said Gillingham. “That's why I've put forward a practical financial plan. We'll set clear priorities, keep finding efficiencies, and make investments at a pace taxpayers can afford. We can strengthen emergency services, improve customer service and invest more in our communities without putting the City's finances at risk.”
The platform also includes four new commitments, including:
A new annual meeting of City Council dedicated to reviewing the following year's road repair plans, with input from residents, utilities, industry and other stakeholders
Provide more opportunities for Indigenous workers by linking Miikahnah Connect and other First Nation/MMF job programs into City bid & hiring notices.
Add an inflation escalator to arts supports in the next multi-year budget cycle.
Create new, public service standards for key City services – like public space cleanliness, or back-end responses to 311 – so there are clear expectations for service, against which deficiencies and shortfalls can be measured and fixed.
Gillingham said his new platform builds on commitments made in 2022, many of which have already been delivered or are underway.
Over the past four years, Winnipeg has welcomed approximately 80,000 new residents, experienced record housing construction, advanced major downtown redevelopment projects and made historic investments in road renewal. City Hall has also added police officers, firefighters and community safety personnel, expanded neighbourhood services and reduced average 311 wait times by 90%.
Gillingham said the next City Council will have important decisions to make as Winnipeg continues to grow, and that his experience and working relationships will allow him to begin delivering on his commitments immediately after the election.
“I love this city, and I believe in its future,” he said. “Over the past four years, we've accomplished a lot together, and there is much more we can do. Winnipeg is growing, new opportunities are opening, and we're building momentum that we can't afford to lose.”
The full Building Winnipeg platform includes a summary of commitments and a detailed financial plan.
Note: The platform summarizes commitments announced throughout the campaign. Where additional details were provided in previous campaign news releases, those announcements remain part of the commitments.