The President of the AMBM and Reeve of the Rural Municipality of La Broquerie, Mr. Ivan Normandeau, the Mayor of the City of Winnipeg, Mr. Scott Gillingham, and the Councillor for Saint-Boniface, Mr. Mathieu Allard, issued the following joint statement regarding the federal government’s announcement of $1.92 million in funding for the renovation of the oldest building in Western Canada:
On February 25th, 2025, at the Saint-Boniface Museum, the Honourable Dan Vandal, Member of Parliament for Saint-Boniface-Saint-Vital, on behalf of the Honourable Rachel Bendayan, Minister of Official Languages and Associate Minister of Public Safety, announced the allocation of funding to facilitate the continued operation and enhancement of the oldest building in Winnipeg. This building, designated as a municipal, provincial, and national historic site, will be able to pursue its mission with renewed vigor and support.
The AMBM and the City of Winnipeg commend the recent announcement by the Government of Canada regarding financial support for the Saint-Boniface Museum infrastructure project. This initiative is designed to preserve and promote the rich Francophone and Métis heritage of our province. It is a project that aligns with the strategic priorities of Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities.
The AMBM and the City of Winnipeg emphasize that this investment will also foster local economic development by attracting more tourists and enhancing the cultural fabric of the region. We extend our gratitude to the Government of Canada for its commitment to preserving our Francophone and Métis heritage.
This major project, with total costs nearing $5 million and planned to be executed in multiple phases, garners crucial backing from all three orders of government, with contributions to date of $300,000 from the City of Winnipeg and $30,000 from the provincial government. The $1.92 million funding is sourced from the Community Spaces Fund component of the Official Languages Support Program, part of the $47.2 million allocated for community and educational infrastructure under the 2023-2028 Official Languages Action Plan (APOL). Additionally, the Saint-Boniface Museum benefits from various benefactors who have generously contributed during fundraising campaigns.
The Saint-Boniface Museum has leveraged the expertise of the Economic Development Council for Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities (Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba, or CDEM), a subsidiary of the AMBM, to advance this significant project. Through the strategic and technical support facilitated by funding, the Museum has been able to progress effectively.
This investment underscores the essential role of intergovernmental partnerships in infrastructure projects. It signifies a strategic commitment that directly enhances the development and vitality of our local Francophone and bilingual communities. This initiative aligns closely with the Notice on the 16 Strategic Priorities of Manitoba’s Bilingual Municipal Leadership.
Despite significant progress, Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities continue to face an infrastructure deficit throughout their regions. Our Francophone and bilingual communities, both urban and rural, encounter pressing needs for essential infrastructure maintenance and development. This situation underscores the necessity for sustained and coordinated engagement from all orders of government to address current and future challenges. It is essential that municipalities establish a robust growth framework to realize their full potential, equipped to tackle pressing issues through diversified, predictable, and more equitable sources of revenue.
The recent growth in our bilingual municipalities has been remarkable, with an increase of over 8% from 2016 to 2021, significantly surpassing the provincial average of 5%. This unprecedented growth underscores the appeal of our communities and reinforces our commitment to securing the necessary resources to ensure the sustainable prosperity of our Francophone and bilingual communities.
In collaboration with the federal government, the AMBM is committed to identifying and implementing solutions that promote strategic infrastructure investments within Francophone and bilingual communities, including the City of Winnipeg. That is why the AMBM is actively monitoring other federal funding programs, such as the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) Program, the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), and the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF).
It is imperative that Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities continue to receive strategic investments. The AMBM emphasizes the importance of ongoing collaboration and coordination from both federal and provincial governments to adequately support these communities and address their unique challenges.
The AMBM and the City of Winnipeg remain dedicated to fostering robust and resilient Francophone and bilingual communities, which serve as a source of pride both within Winnipeg and beyond. We extend our gratitude to the federal government, particularly the Honourable Dan Vandal, who has consistently been a staunch advocate for Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs) in Manitoba.
The AMBM is the voice of bilingual municipal leadership in the province of Manitoba. It represents 16 municipal governments committed to offering services in both official languages to their citizens. Together, these municipalities represent the majority of Manitoba’s population. Manitoba’s bilingual municipal leadership is also leads the AMBM Group, a consortium of three organizations with complementary mandates: the AMBM, the Economic Development Council of Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities (Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba, or CDEM) and Eco-West Canada (EWC), which specializes in the green economy. Complementing each other, these three organizations actively contribute to the development, vitality and sustainability of the province’s Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs) and the province as a whole.
Information: Office of the Chief Executive Officer (O-CEO), 204-289-4077, bcdd-oceo@ambm.ca.
