The University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) finance committee has tabled a balanced draft operating budget for the 2025-26 year at the March 20 UMSU board of directors meeting.
The budget was presented by UMSU vice-president finance and operations Carolyn Wang and will be debated and voted on by board members at a meeting tentatively set for April 3, according to acting chairperson Christopher Yendt.
The UMSU Governance and Operations Manual states that the finance committee must submit the budget to board members at least 14 days prior to introducing a motion to approve the budget.
The budget lists total revenue and expenses each at $2,786,866, in contrast to last year’s operating budget which called for a nearly $80,000 deficit.
Wang stated that UMSU is a not-for-profit, adding that “we do not aim to make a profit off of students or suffer a loss.”
Graphic by Deveney Jarrow
Revenue increase of over $240K anticipated
Total revenue for the students’ union’s 2025-26 operating budget is anticipated to increase $240,717 compared to the previous year’s budget.
Fees make up the largest revenue source in the tabled budget, with over $1.9 million anticipated to be collected — over $50,000 more than the original 2024-25 budget.
Wang stated that the increase in fees is due to inflation.
Net revenue displayed for UMSU businesses (GPA’s, IQ’s, Degrees and VW Social Club). Graph by Milan Lukes.
Of those fees, UMSU is expecting over $1.5 million in union fees which is up by over $40,000, with each student mandated to pay an UMSU fee by the tuition payment deadline each term.
Operational revenue is set at $445,619, increasing by over $200,000 compared to the 2024-25 budget.
A breakdown of the budget shows that that the students’ union is anticipating more than $170,000 in operating account interest revenue compared to the previous year’s operating budget.
UMSU is expecting to generate $350,867 net profit off of its four businesses — GPA’s Campus Convenience, IQ’s Café & Billiards, Degrees Diner and VW Social Club. This is an increase of over $19,000 compared to the previous budget, with VW Social Club and IQ’s Café & Billiards’s net revenue expected to increase by 81 per cent and 83 per cent, respectively.
Wang stated that the third-floor businesses in UMSU University Centre were closed for a period during summer 2024 due to renovations, which was accounted for in the 2024-25 budget. She added that no major renovations are planned this summer.
GPA’s Campus Convenience is expected to generate $273,897 net revenue during the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Both Degrees Diner and GPA’s Campus Convenience are anticipated to have a decline in net revenue compared to the last year’s budget, with GPA’s Campus Convenience still being UMSU’s largest revenue generating business.
Spending increase of $158K projected
Along with the anticipated increase in revenue, the union is expected to spend $158,334 more than the original 2024-25 budget.
Graph by Milan Lukes
Executive member salaries and benefits are expected to increase by $13,373 or 5.9 per cent to $238,373, with each executive receiving over $47,600.
Full-time salaries and benefits for UMSU Service Centre personnel is projected to increase by $54,600 with a decrease of $43,500 for governance personnel salaries and statutory benefits.
Governance and executive administrative expenses are set to increase by $44,100, which includes a $30,000 increase to the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations.
“CASA membership fees are charged based on the number of students at the organization, so we do have close to 27,000 students,” said Wang.
She added that the CASA line includes travel for relevant board members that need to attend CASA meetings.
Expenditures on UMSU elections are also anticipated to increase by $8,500, consisting of a $1,000 increase for candidate reimbursements and an administration increase of $7,500 or 300 per cent.
Wang said that the increased reimbursements is due to foreseeing “a lot of candidates next year,” after an “unprecedent number of candidates this year.”
She added that the election administration fees pertain to Simply Voting, which is also used by all the faculty associations to conduct online voting.
Marketing personnel full-time salaries and benefits are increasing by over $38,000, with $20,000 being allotted to a newly established UMSU week programming fund.
UMSU vice-president finance and operations Carolyn Wang presented the draft 2025-26 operating budget at the March 20 UMSU board meeting. Photo by Milan Lukes
Student services spending increases 11.9 per cent
Students can expect to see increased financial support toward student services, with spending increasing from $298,500 to $334,000 — or 11.9 per cent — compared to the 2024-25 budget.
Of that funding increase, student club support will increase by $3,000 or 5.8 per cent to $55,000.
Wang stated that there are almost 200 UMSU clubs in various stages of recognition. To be eligible for UMSU club funding, clubs must complete a sexual violence prevention workshop and treasurer training and be fully approved, she stated.
The funding for individual UMSU clubs is up to $1,700 total, according to Wang.
Wang promised during her re-election campaign to increase club funding from $1,700 to $2,500, a commitment she made on social media during the first week of March.
“The $2,500 does not mean all clubs will get $2,500,” Wang clarified in a statement to Manitoban on March 24. “It means that clubs who exceed the $1,700 will be eligible for additional funding up to $2,500 total.”
“From what I have seen, most clubs do not surpass the $1,000 range when applying for funding,” Wang stated. “We have had about five or so clubs reach the maximum funding. These clubs tend to be very active and have hundreds or thousands of members.”
Funding for the holiday hampers and financial support toward the university food bank are each set at $17,000, increasing by $500 and $2,000, respectively.
The UMSU hardship fund, a short-term financial assistance program, will increase by $5,000 or 12.5 per cent to $45,000.
The fund exists to assist students who are in desperate financial need and have exhausted all other options available to them, according to UMSU’s website.
Travel grants are set to increase by $5,000 or 20 per cent to $30,000, with sponsorship increasing by $20,000 or 66.7 per cent to $50,000.
Community initiative funding, which is funding for UMSU community representatives and their respective communities, is not anticipated to increase in the draft budget — remaining at $120,000 as was the case in the 2024-25 budget.
A student holds a sign calling for UMSU community representatives to be paid at the vice-president candidate forum on Feb. 26, 2025. Photo by Milan Lukes
UMSU had seven community representatives in 2024-25 which is set to increase to eight representatives following the election of a mature and part-time students’ representative, a position that was previously vacant.
Wang stated that she could not comment on the exact amount of funding each community group will receive as that is still being determined. She also could not state whether community representatives would receive an honorarium, citing that it is not at her sole discretion.
“I cannot comment on what the 2025-26 finance committee will decide regarding honorariums for the community representatives,” she said.
The 2025-26 operating budget covers the period from May 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026.
The 2025-26 operating budget can be viewed at themanitoban.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/UMSU_operating_budget_2025_26.pdf. Questions on the budget can be directed to Wang at vpfo@umsu.ca.
