STATEMENT RE: GLEN MURRAY’S MISLEADING “FINANCIAL CRISIS” CLAIM
Today, mayoral candidate Scott Gillingham released the following statement.
Like other Canadian cities after the Covid-19 crisis, Winnipeg faces financial challenges heading
into the 2020s. However, I was disappointed to hear Glen Murray claim instead that Winnipeg
faces a “deep financial crisis,” and claim he solved a similar crisis as Mayor by “by establishing
sustainable funding practices.” He used similar language – that his city was “close to unable to
sustain itself financially” - in his failed campaign to be Mayor of Toronto in late 2009.
Mr. Murray used mid-2000s credit ratings to back his claims of management success. In fact,
those same credit agencies prove his “crisis” claims to be unfounded. Just three weeks ago,
S&P increased Winnipeg’s credit rating to AA+, higher than at any time in Murray’s term.
Recent S&P and Moody’s reviews praised City fiscal management and Covid budget strategies.
Moody’s confirmed Winnipeg debt costs “remain low compared to municipal peers” in April.
2003 was Murray’s last full year in office before he abandoned Winnipeggers less than halfway
through his term. That year, Winnipeg’s debt servicing costs were just under 7% of revenues. In
2021, Winnipeg’s regular debt servicing costs were below 6%. The projected peak - including all
current infrastructure plans - is 7.5%, well below our debt limit of 11%. By law, the city is putting
aside money to repay debt principal over time. Challenges? Yes. But no crisis.
While running for Premier in Ontario, Mr. Murray claimed to have a “really unique ability… to
lead and effect significant cultural change in the way a government operates.” In fact, the
record shows he repeatedly balanced Winnipeg’s budgets with unsustainable tactics, including:
• One-time money paid in installments from his sale of Winnipeg Hydro;
• One-time money taken from union pension funds and dedicated capital reserves, and
• Significant cuts to public works and road maintenance that we are still paying for today.
City Council has also used one-time reserves in the last few years – but unlike Mr. Murray, we
faced a global economic emergency, and used reserves set aside for that purpose.
Winnipeggers deserve something better than recycled talking points from Mr. Murray’s failed
Ontario campaigns. As a former city council finance chair, I stand by my record delivering on
Mayor Bowman’s financial targets. As a mayoral candidate with different priorities from Mayor
Bowman’s, I have already committed to fund all of my campaign commitments by October 3rd.
For more information: Colin Fast at (204)803-6406 or media@voteforscott.ca
