The City of Winnipeg is experiencing difficulty retaining and recruiting employees to deliver key public services due to low wages in select positions. City service wages have not kept pace with the cost of living over time and the recent steep rise in the cost of living means workers’ real incomes have fallen substantially. Widespread job vacancies compromise the City’s ability to deliver services citizens rely on. During the summer of 2022, the City closed wading pools and splash pads, failed to reduce 311 wait times, and restricted public library hours due to staffing shortages.
About the authors
Jack MacAulay
Niall Harney
Niall was the CCPA-Manitoba Errol Black Chair in Labour Issues from 2021 to 2026. His research focused on labour markets, income inequality, public finance, and political economy. Niall has a BA in Global Political Economy from the University of Manitoba and an MSc in Geography from McGill University.
