The President of the AMBM and Reeve of the Rural Municipality of La Broquerie, Mr. Ivan Normandeau, issued the following statement following the announcement by the federal government regarding the 10-year agreement between Canada and Manitoba under the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) to address infrastructure priorities necessary for housing construction:
On March 3rd, 2025, the Honorable Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honorable Terry Duguid, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCAN) announced a 10-year Canada-Manitoba bilateral agreement valued at $209.8 million under the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) to address their housing-enabling infrastructure priorities.
The CHIF will enable Manitoba communities to build or improve infrastructure related to drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and solid waste. These developments will support the construction of additional housing to meet the growing demands for affordable housing.
The AMBM warmly congratulates the Canada and Manitoba governments—our partners—for concluding this ten-year agreement, which will bring long-term benefits to Manitoba’s economy. We also commend the City of Winnipeg, a member of the AMBM, for its allocation of $150 million over four years, increased by $16 million, starting in 2026-2027, to initiate phase 2 of the modernization of the North End Sewage Treatment Plant, thus fulfilling a federal commitment announced in the 2024 Fall Economic Statement.
Announced as part of Budget 2024, the CHIF includes two funding streams: a direct delivery steam of up to $1 billion and a provincial-territorial agreement-based stream amounting to $5 billion. On April 12th, 2024, the federal government presented its housing plan, Solving the Housing Crisis: Canada’s Housing Plan, supported by new investments, thus reinforcing the federal government’s commitment to working with provinces, territories, and municipalities.
Today’s announcement is part of the second stream, the provincial-territorial agreement-based stream, and demonstrates the federal government’s willingness to actively collaborate with provincial and municipal governments to promote long-term housing access. Anticipated by AMBM member municipalities, this funding is an important complementary lever to support the growth of our bilingual municipalities in Manitoba.
Meanwhile, the first direct delivery stream remains open until March 31st, 2025, offering ongoing opportunities for other projects to address the urgent needs of municipalities.
Housing construction and related municipal infrastructure are a top priority for the AMBM and its members. It is also clearly stated in the Notice on the 16 Strategic Priorities of Manitoba’s Bilingual Municipal Leadership. Currently, the infrastructure deficit for wastewater infrastructure exceeds $2 billion outside of Winnipeg.
Several municipalities have already adopted proactive measures to address their wastewater treatment infrastructure deficit. Among them, the bilingual rural municipalities of Ritchot, Taché, La Broquerie, and De Salaberry have joined the Red-Seine-Rat (RSR) Wastewater Cooperative, a regional project bringing together seven municipalities, including four AMBM members. This ambitious project aims to equip these communities with a centralized wastewater treatment plant, replacing traditional lagoon systems with a more efficient mechanized process while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
This project benefits from significant financial support, including an initial investment of $110 million from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), followed more recently by $140 million from the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB).
This project aligns perfectly with the goal to significantly increase their capacities to support their demographic growth and achieve their growth plans in residential, industrial, and commercial development.
It is important to note that Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities are also significantly affected by the housing crisis. This crisis is further exacerbated by their unprecedented population growth, which has risen over 8%, surpassing the provincial average of 5%. This growth highlights the attractiveness of these communities but also presents numerous challenges and opportunities that must be addressed.
The provincial-territorial agreement-based stream of the CHIF plans to allocate at least 20% of the funding to rural communities. A preliminary analysis indicates that this commitment has been met, with nearly 30% of the total funding directed to rural areas. Both orders of government have therefore adopted a rural lens, a move welcomed by the AMBM. This approach is crucial to addressing the unique challenges and realities faced by rural communities, which often differ significantly from those of urban areas.
The AMBM reaffirms its commitment to closely collaborate with the provincial and federal governments to maximize the measured and targeted impact of CHIF investments in Manitoba, paying particular attention to our rural Francophone and bilingual communities.
Strategic investments are essential to ensure an equitable distribution of resources between rural and urban areas while strengthening the capacity of our bilingual rural municipalities to become more attractive and ready to build. By creating the best possible conditions, we can ensure their success and sustainable development.
Consider the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) in Manitoba, which has allocated approximately $142 million to various projects. Of this amount, 10% was dedicated to rural communities. Therefore, it is imperative to work collaboratively, continue our efforts, and commit to enhanced intergovernmental cooperation to develop sustainable solutions tailored to the needs of all communities.
In this perspective, the AMBM reiterates its willingness to cooperate with the federal and provincial governments to define concrete implementation mechanisms and ensure that this funding fully meets the needs of all bilingual municipalities in Manitoba, with a regionalization approach.
It is essential that federal, provincial, and municipal governments work closely together to implement coherent and effective solutions to the growing challenges facing our communities. Such an approach will not only address immediate housing and infrastructure needs but also ensure harmonious and sustainable long-term growth while preserving the quality of life for all Manitobans, whether they live in urban or rural areas.
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 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.
