The President of the Association of Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities (AMBM) and Reeve of the Rural Municipality of La Broquerie, Mr. Ivan Normandeau, issued the following statement after the official inauguration of the newly expanded facilities at École Saint-Joachim, a project led by the Division scolaire franco-manitobaine (DSFM):

First and foremost, I wish to congratulate and thank the Division scolaire franco-manitobaine (DSFM) and the Commission scolaire franco-manitobaine (CSFM), especially its President, Mr. Bernard Lesage, for their leadership and commitment to French-language education. The DSFM creates spaces where our children thrive in their language and culture, developing the skills they need to succeed in a truly bilingual Manitoba. Your vision and dedication make a true difference for our families.

I am also deeply grateful to be part of this vibrant and engaged bilingual rural community, especially for this announcement, which demonstrates our collective determination to support and strengthen French-language education for generations to come.

I wish to express my profound gratitude to the Manitoba government for its ongoing commitment to our bilingual rural communities. The strategic investment of nearly $26 million, complemented by a federal contribution of $783,000, is a concrete show of support—by Manitobans, for Manitobans—for the benefit of our communities today and in the future. Our bilingual rural municipalities are not mere geographic points on a map; they are dynamic places where the Francophone community has taken root and flourished for generations.

The Honourable Tracy Schmidt, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning, and Mr. Robert Loiselle, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Saint-Boniface, are true allies of Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities. Their support for this project shows that the provincial government fully recognizes the value and importance of Francophone schools as vitality indicators of our bilingual municipalities. They understand that supporting French-language education is an investment in Manitoba’s cultural richness, diversity, and prosperity.

I would also like to warmly thank Mrs. Ginette Lavack, Member of Parliament for Saint-Boniface–Saint-Vital and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services, who represented the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages. Her collaboration, dedication, and steadfast support played a decisive role in bringing this major project to life. She remains an essential partner in advancing our priorities.

The expansion we inaugurated represents far more than an infrastructure project—it is a true investment in the future of our Francophone and bilingual communities.

In La Broquerie, 45% of the population is under the age of 25. Our schools are not merely places of learning; they are the heart of our vitality, the pillar of our identity, and the driving force behind our economic and social development. Investing in our schools means investing in the long-term sustainability of our entire communities.

The expansion adds 46,000 square feet of new space and includes 9,300 square feet of renovations, making it possible to provide 16 classrooms and six specialized areas: a gymnasium, a fitness room, a science lab, a STEAM room (robotics and multimedia), industrial arts rooms, and home economics spaces. The renovations also created music rooms, a multipurpose room, a cafeteria, and new administrative offices, and included the installation of an elevator to enhance accessibility.

The expansion of École Saint-Joachim stands as tangible evidence of our collective commitment to the vitality, dynamism, and prosperity of the Francophone community in Manitoba.

About the AMBM 

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 residents. 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 for 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 (OLMC) and the province as a whole.

Information: Office of the Chief Executive Officer (O-CEO), 204-289-4077, bcdd-oceo@ambm.ca.