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In recent years, the residents of Winnipeg have faced continuous increases in water and sewer fees, property taxes, permits, parking fees, and more. These rising costs are a clear indication that the city does not have a revenue problem, instead, it has a spending problem.

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Mayor Gillingham previously served as the chair of finance under Mayor Brian Bowman who raised taxes every year by 2.5%. Gillingham continued to increase property taxes since assuming the mayor’s office by 3.5%. The current chair of finance, Jeff Browaty, has also supported these hikes. This situation underscores the need for a fundamental reassessment of how the city manages its finances, and one practical approach is implementing zero-based budgeting.

Zero-based budgeting (ZBB) is a budgeting method where all expenses must be justified for each new period, starting from a “zero base.” Unlike traditional budgeting, which often uses the previous year’s budget as a starting point and adjusts for inflation or other factors, ZBB requires each department to evaluate their needs and costs anew. This process involves identifying and justifying every expense rather than assuming that past spending levels are appropriate.

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