AMBM President Ivan Normandeau issued the following statement following the tabling of the 2022 federal budget:

The federal government’s 2022 budget offers us two keys, two concrete ways to support the Economic Recovery Strategy for Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities: affordable housing and the green economy.

Like the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), we welcome the bold steps announced to address the issues surrounding access to affordable housing, including the launch of the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), the scale up of the Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI), and the extension of additional funding for the Reaching Home Initiative, in addition to other like-minded programs. This affordable housing will need to include a Francophone and rural lens to truly make a difference for seniors, youth, families and newcomers in our communities.

We also welcome the federal government’s commitment to the environment and to fighting climate change. This new budget places a particular emphasis on green vehicles and technologies, including the extension of the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles program.

Consistently, with the support of Natural Resources Canada, our subsidiary Eco-West Canada (EWC) is currently working to develop and roll out a series of webinars and workshops to increase and accelerate the shift to zero-emission vehicles on the Canadian Prairies. As a key partner in Canada’s economic recovery and the implementation of sustainable transportation, EWC is providing governments with expertise and partnerships to build a network of electric vehicle charging stations.

For decades, AMBM members have been actively committed to supporting the vitality of Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs). However, their action is limited due to a lack of resources. In the upcoming Action Plan for Official Languages (as well as the 2023 budget), we strongly recommend the creation of a program to strengthen the delivery of municipal services in both official languages.

Information: Office of the Chief Executive Officer (O-CEO), 204-289-4077, [email protected].