Accord to a small business advocate, municipal overspending in Manitoba is a $1B problem.

 

The fourth edition of the Manitoba Municipal Spending Watch report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business says that overspending works out to $4,696 per family of four in the province. 

 

Jonathan Alward, the CFIB’s director of Manitoba affairs, spoke to Arctic Radio News to talk about what the report says about Thompson. He said that during the eight-year period that the report is based on (2008-2015), the City of Thompson increased operational spending by 15%, while the population increased by 2%. He added that during the same time, municipal labour costs increased 29%.  

 

Alward added that The Pas and Flin Flon are in the same boat when it comes to overspending, though he said that Flin Flon has started to trim their budget. Of the 10 cities and towns listed in the report, Thompson, The Pas and Flin Flon are ranked 7, 9 and 10 respectively.

 

The City of Winnipeg was listed in its own category due to the difference in size to other municipalities in the province. Alward said that if it had been included, it would be “somewhere near the middle” of the pack.