Frequently Asked Questions
- Yes. The Board consults with the community every year through its consultation process and by accepting delegations at its regular public meetings.
- Yes. The Winnipeg Police Service offers valuable expertise and essential insights on the annual budget. The Service advises the Board on how to forecast expenditures and revenues and where it may be possible to find efficiencies or cost savings that do not impact the overall effectiveness of the Service. The Board consults with the Service throughout the budget process.
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The Board informs the public when it has approved the allocation of the Service's annual operating and capital budgets. The Board publishes high-level information on the allocation and works with the Winnipeg Police Service to determine what level of detail is appropriate to share. This balances the Board's commitment to transparency with respect for sensitive information.
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Yes. Winnipeg's City Council has the authority to set the total amount of the Winnipeg Police Service's operating and capital budgets each fiscal year. The Board has an obligation to provide Council with information and recommendations that can inform Council's decision. The Police Services Act requires the Board to ensure an "adequate and effective police service" in Winnipeg. The Board may therefore recommend maintaining or investing in the Winnipeg Police Service, based on the goals of its strategic plan. Council, on the other hand, considers additional factors when it sets the municipal budget. It may choose to increase investment in the Service, use investment in other areas to promote public safety, or balance the funding needs of the Winnipeg Police Service with municipal budget constraints. If Council sets the Winnipeg Police Service budget at an amount that is higher or lower than the Board's recommended estimate, the Board works with the amount set by Council to allocate within the Service.
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The Board's Budget and Finance Committee makes regular reports to the Board and advises the Board throughout the budget process. Its reports are published on the City of Winnipeg's Decision Making Information System. The Board publishes an annual report on the Environment for Policing in Winnipeg that describes the socioeconomic and policy contexts that affect how police services are delivered in Winnipeg. This report addresses factors that influence the cost of providing police services.