ManitobaThe union representing Winnipeg’s firefighters says it’s not satisfied with plans to decrease strain on the department outlined in the City of Winnipeg’s preliminary budget for 2026. Winnipeg mayor says the plan is ‘important step to add more resources’ Gavin Axelrod · CBC News · Posted: Nov 15, 2025 7:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 3 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.The City of Winnipeg plans to take a phased approach and add 10 firefighter resource pool full time equivalents annually, with up to 40 by 2029. (Jeff Stapleton/CBC)The union representing firefighters in Winnipeg isn’t satisfied with plans aimed at decreasing strain on the department outlined in the City of Winnipeg’s preliminary budget for 2026. The city plans phase in what it’s calling 10 firefighter resource pool full time equivalents annually, with up to 40 FTEs by 2029, according to the preliminary budget documents released Friday. Those firefighters won’t be assigned to a particular station, but will serve where needed and fill absences in an effort to reduce overtime, support training and enhance capacity, the city says. “It doesn’t solve the problem,” said TJ Belluk, vice president of the United Firefighters of Winnipeg. “I think council knows that with this budget, all we’re doing really is repeating the cycle: We’re going to be short staffed, we’re going to need manpower and we’re going to be dipping into the overtime budget.” On Monday, the city’s finance committee approved a $3 million over-expend of the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service’s 2025 operating budget. A report tabled for the meeting said one of the reasons for the “overspend in fire” was the continued impact of Workers Compensation Board injury claims and the cost of payroll, medical expenses and WCB administration fees. The continued increase in staff absence, which “increases the need for overtime call-in in order to maintain firefighting shift strength,” was also cited.Speaking to reporters Friday, finance committee chair Jeff Browaty said the reality is there are more workers compensation claims and more short-term illnesses “because of what’s happening on the job.”Browaty also said “a number of new firefighters” that were provincially funded were added a few years ago, but that still wasn’t enough. “We didn’t see a real reduction post-COVID in terms of overtime and challenges with staffing at the Winnipeg Fire Paramedics Service,” said finance chair Jeff Browaty Friday afternoon. “Mental health is real, the demographics of our employees have changed and the reality is, the staffing ratio hasn’t really kept up.” He also said the idea for the model came through the recommendation of the fire department. A city spokesperson said Friday the funding breakdown for the 10 FTEs wasn’t immediately available — it wasn’t in the budget document — but could be made available next week. ‘Isn’t going to move the needle much, if at all’ Belluk also said Friday the resource pool “isn’t going to move the needle much, if at all.” Belluk said he would have wanted to see as many as 30 to 40 FTEs added annually. “It’s not helping the situation at all,” he said. “Ten positions is nothing, it’s going to cover maybe 10 per cent of the annual overtime budget.”Gillingham was asked Friday what he would say if the union said the resources outlined in the budget weren’t enough to solve solve staffing and overtime issues. “This is an important step,” he replied. “It’s an important step to add more resources, to make those resources available to the [fire] chief … so he can staff where the staff shortage is,” he replied. Gillingham also said Friday the city recognizes the number of calls first responders such as firefighters and paramedics are answering, and the things they are seeing on the job have an “adverse effect on health and mental health.” “We are taking very serious the wellness of our staff,” he said. Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham said Friday the plan is an important step to adding more resources. ( Maggie Wilcox/Radio-Canada)The budget also says the city will staff up a wellness clinic for WFPS members with nine new FTEs. It also includes 11.50 FTEs to be added for new community paramedic support, which will be funded by Shared Health. A city spokesperson said they couldn’t specify what positions would make up the wellness clinic, but said they are looking to include both physical and mental wellness professionals. The spokesperson said there is no new net funding for the program, but the FTEs are new and would be funded by existing budget lines. Ryan Woiden, president of the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union Local 911, said he was waiting to hear more details before commenting on the wellness clinic. Belluk said he also didn’t have a lot of information about it, but “any mental health resources would be a plus for the membership.” ABOUT THE AUTHORGavin Axelrod is a journalist for CBC Manitoba. He has previously spent time at CBC Toronto and the Winnipeg Free Press. gavin.axelrod@cbc.ca
City’s plan to combat strain on fire department isn’t ‘going to move the needle’: union
