The City of Winnipeg is projecting an $18.9 million deficit for its 2025 tax-supported operating budget, according to the city’s first-quarter financial report released Wednesday. While city officials say they expect to tap into reserve funds to balance the books, rising emergency service costs and lower-than-expected revenues are creating pressure early in the fiscal year.

The projected shortfall, which amounts to roughly 1.3 per cent of the city’s $1.4 billion operating budget, is attributed primarily to overtime costs within Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS), reduced revenue from permit fees, and a shortfall in planned savings by the Winnipeg Police Service.

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