Winnipeg spends $35,000 on city podcast with just 81 subscribers
Taxpayers foot the bill for a low-audience show as City Hall claims it’s about “public engagement.”
The City of Winnipeg spent nearly $35,000 producing a podcast that hardly anyone listens to.
According to documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), the city’s podcast cost $34,994 to produce despite attracting only 81 subscribers across platforms.
City of Winnipeg blows $35K on colossal podcast fail, what a waste of money.https://t.co/lWmC0m2NAS
— Winnipeg Sun (@winnipegsun) November 9, 2025
The show, launched in 2022, was meant to “engage residents and share city stories.” But CTF Prairie Director Gage Haubrich said it’s a classic example of bureaucratic vanity projects burning through public money:
“It’s ridiculous that taxpayers are being forced to fund a podcast that barely anyone listens to,” Haubrich told the CTF newsroom. “If the city has a message, they should use existing media or social media — not waste tens of thousands of dollars trying to be influencers.”
The city justified the expense by citing “staff time” and “contracted production services.” But critics say those funds could have been better spent addressing core municipal priorities like road repair or public safety.
Despite its low reach, City Hall hasn’t ruled out continuing the project — leaving taxpayers wondering how many more “episodes” they’ll be forced to finance.
Sheila Gunn Reid
Chief Reporter
Sheila Gunn Reid is the Editor-in-Chief, Alberta Bureau Chief, member of the board of directors, and host of The Gunn Show at Rebel News. Sheila also serves as President of the Independent Press Gallery of Canada. A mother of three and longtime conservative activist, Sheila is the author of bestselling books, including her most recent release, Independence Blueprint: What Alberta Can Learn From Quebec.
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COMMENTS
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Bruce Atchison commented 2025-11-10 20:00:39 -0500This is why local politics is so crucial. We need to stop these people at the bottom before they rise to the federal level.
