Putting safety first for Winnipeg

Daniel McIntyre

At city council, our responsibility is clear – ensuring Winnipeg has the services it needs to keep residents safe; today and into the future.

That is why I introduced a motion to add firefighters to our ranks. The data is compelling, the need is urgent, and the cost of inaction is growing.

The City of Winnipeg has extensive operational data that shows its current firefighter complement does not match the size, complexity, and call volume of the city it serves. As Winnipeg has grown, demand for emergency response has increased. However, staffing has not kept pace. The result is longer response times and an unsustainable workload for the firefighters who show up for our community every single day.

We are already seeing the consequences. Response times are trending upward, and firefighters are experiencing high levels of medical leave due to overwork. These are not abstract statistics; they affect real people and the residents waiting for help in emergencies and firefighters pushed beyond reasonable limits. When response times increase, outcomes worsen. In emergency services, seconds matter.

There is also a strong financial case for action. Right now, the city is paying more in overtime than it would cost to hire additional firefighters. That is not efficient, and it is not fair to the workforce. Overtime may help bridge short-term gaps, but it is not a long-term staffing strategy. Hiring more firefighters reduces burnout, stabilizes scheduling, and ultimately costs less than continuing to rely on excessive overtime.

Winnipeg also faces one of the highest call volumes in Canada. Our firefighters are not only responding to fires, they are most often first on scene at medical emergencies. With the growing crises around addiction and mental health, that demand has increased significantly. Firefighters are regularly responding to overdoses, mental health emergencies, car accidents, and other critical health needs. This is complex, highly stressful work which requires adequate staffing to be done safely and effectively.

Ensuring we have the proper staff complement is about more than numbers on a page. It is about guaranteeing that when a fire breaks out, when a serious collision occurs, or when someone experiences a medical emergency, help arrives quickly and with the resources needed to save lives. It is about protecting firefighters so they can continue to protect us.

This motion is about public safety, fiscal responsibility, and respect for the people who do this vital work. Winnipeg deserves an emergency response system that matches the realities of our city today and not one that is constantly stretched to the breaking point.

Adding firefighters is not optional; it is essential. For the safety of our neighbourhoods, our families, and our first responders, I am glad my councillor colleagues agreed that it is time to act in the 2026 budget.