The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Winnipeg City Council to follow the City of Toronto's lead and put receipts of all expenses online.

The CTF released freedom of information responses on Wednesday.

"Watchdog groups such as ours, reporters and taxpayers shouldn't have to go on a scavenger hunt to find details on how council is spending tax dollars," said CTF Manitoba director Colin Craig.

"Ultimately, council reports to the taxpayers of Winnipeg so all of its expenses should be proactively disclosed to the public. The City of Toronto scans every receipt expensed by council and places them online. The City of Winnipeg should do the same," adds Craig.

The freedom of information request, released by the CTF, documents about $7,000 in expenses, mostly for meals and travel.

The CTF has provided several links to including expenses claimed by Executive Policy Committee and for other functions.

2007 Committee reimbursements 

2008 Committee reimbursements

Secretariat Committee expenses

Liberal and NDP Party events

Craig noted that according to the City of Winnipeg Act, the city is defined as a corporation and thus expenses for partisan events would contravene the provincial government's ban on corporate and union donations to provincial political parties.

The CTF believes it has just scratched the surface of spending by councillors and is asking the city to be more transparent in the future, by posting expenses voluntarily.