A report at City Hall says the city might not need all of its fire stations and could save $17 million if it sold five of them.

The city has 31 Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Stations ranging in age from two to 105 years.

The report says the city would save $12 million in maintenance costs and sell the properties for $5 million.

It says response times could be improved if traffic signals gave emergency vehicles priority on the road.

The city is in the process of creating a traffic management system to curb congestion.

The firefighter's union supports the plan.

Alex Forrest, the president of United Firefighters of Winnipeg, says two aging stations in St. Boniface would close, Marion at Dawson and Autumnwood at Cottonwood. A new hall would be built in the area. Three stand -alone paramedic stations would shut down and merge with fire halls.

Forrest says the savings would be reinvested to hire fire prevention officers and buy much needed equipment and would pave the way to build a long awaited station in Waverley West.