The City of Winnipeg says the October storm that devastated trees across the city and knocked out power for days will cost $9 million to clean up and leave the city in a $9.2 million hole.
The city’s most recent financial forecast is actually a minor improvement of the last forecast, which was $9.4 million.
“The City of Winnipeg’s continued response to the major storm event in October will have a significant impact on the City’s year-end finances,” said Councillor Scott Gillingham, Chair of the Standing Policy Committee on Finance in a statement to media.
“While the City may need to draw on the Financial Stabilization Reserve fund, there will be a continued focus by departments on making financial improvements over the course of the year in an effort to continue to reduce the projected year-end deficit.”
The $9 million figure for the storm is up from the previous estimate of $7.9 million. About $2 million of the clean up costs will be absorbed in next year’s budget because of ongoing work, said Gillingham.
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The city will apply for disaster financial assistance if the Province announces such a measure, he added.
The report will go before the city’s finance committee Tuesday.
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