About a dozen people have protested against the Christchurch City Council selling off City Care.
Last month the council announced plans to sell of 100 percent of the company.
The construction, roading and parks maintenance business, valued at $136 million, is just one of many the council wants to sell to meet a shortfall in its budget for repairs to earthquake-damaged infrastructure.
Keep Our Assets Canterbury members picketed outside the City Care depot in Sydenham today.
The group's spokesman, Murray Horton, says if City Care is sold it will cost ratepayers in the long-term.
Mr Horton says the council should scale back anchor projects rather than stretch budgets when it doesn't have enough money.
