Winnipeg's deficit dips slightly despite mounting storm costs

The financial hangover of October's snowstorm still lingers on the City of Winnipeg's books.

The city is now estimating it spent$9 million on the storm so far, but part of those costs won't be booked until next year and work to clean up the mess left by the bad weather will continue into 2020.

• October storm cleanup costs hit $7.9M and counting

Winnipeg hopes to recover some of the money related to the storm through disaster financial assistance, but that process is in the hands of the provincial government and no announcement has been made.

Winnipeg has already charged $7.2 million in expenses related to the storm, but those costs continue to mount.

A report on the operational and financial impacts of the storm is expected in January.

Finance chair Scott Gillingham said in a news releasethe city may have to draw on its financial stabilization reserve fund to balance the books by the end of the year.

The city clocked a modest improvement in its deficit last month, dropping from $9.4 million in September to a forecast$9.2 million in October.

The numbers are part of a report prepared for the finance committee of city hall.