AMBM President and Reeve of the Rural Municipality of La Broquerie, Ivan Normandeau, issued the following statement following Premier Wab Kinew’s first Speech from the Throne, read by Lieutenant-Governor Anita Neville:
The AMBM welcomes this Speech from the Throne, which meets many of the measures advocated in the Notice on the 16 Strategic Priorities of Manitoba’s Bilingual Municipal Leadership produced by the AMBM in the run-up to the fall provincial election. With this document, the Manitoba government confirms its intention to unequivocally strengthen the municipal-provincial partnership.
We are particularly pleased with the strong message the government is sending to Manitoba municipalities that it will work with them to support their local economies, provide the services and build the infrastructure they need to keep pace with population growth. In this respect, the new Municipal Maturity Model (3M), which is in the process of being adopted by all our members, provides an unrivalled frame of reference for strengthening and anchoring the offer of municipal services in both official languages to Manitobans.
We believe it is both fair and appropriate that the Speech from the Throne should reaffirm the Province’s commitment to predictability and facilitate municipal planning through multi-year funding. When it comes to infrastructure, in addition to basic infrastructure to support a minimum quality of life, our municipalities need the Province to be at the table to support the implementation of large-scale, sustainable measures to solve the housing crisis we’re experiencing in both urban and rural areas. Not to mention that the addition of housing necessarily implies the addition of associated municipal infrastructure (sewers, drinking water, roads, etc.).
The shortage of bilingual workers is a key issue in our communities, and we recognize the importance the new government is placing on strengthening Manitoba’s job market. In the Speech from the Throne, we appreciate the recognition of municipalities as on-the-ground experts in economic growth and health care recruitment, as evidenced by our Municipal Economic Recovery Strategy and our Strategy to Support Economic Immigration in Manitoba’s Bilingual Municipalities. This is in addition to the expertise and commitment of our subsidiary, the Economic Development Council of Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities (Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba, or CDEM), which works actively in the field to implement these strategies and help build the capacity of our member municipalities and their communities, particularly in the areas of entrepreneurship, community economic development, economic immigration, employability and tourism.
The green economy is a significant part of this speech, and we are delighted that the Province has set itself the goal of becoming a leader in the decarbonization of its economy. As with the points raised above, this theme is an integral part of the priorities of our member municipalities, which are committed to a convincing energy transition, with the help of our subsidiary Eco-West Canada (EWC). Thanks to its cutting-edge expertise and pragmatic approach, EWC is now recognized as a key partner of the Manitoba government for the execution of large-scale projects supporting the energy transition of Manitoba municipalities in the following priority areas: green transportation, development of local circular economies and improved waste management, reducing emissions by improving buildings and infrastructure, and advancing work on climate resilience and preparing for emerging risks.
Our subsidiary is also keen to support the Manitoba government in implementing its vision of the future to support the proliferation of electric vehicles, encourage the installation of geothermal heat pumps and the creation of a hydrogen industry in the province.
Finally, the AMBM takes a positive view of the Kinew government’s desire to work with the early childhood sector to retain and recruit early childhood educators and create high-quality childcare spaces. We would like to see the government prioritize the creation of many Francophone childcare spaces in workplaces and community hubs in Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities.
The AMBM is the voice of bilingual municipal leadership in the province of Manitoba. It represents 15 local governments committed to providing 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 at the helm of the AMBM Group, a consortium of three complementary organizations: 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. These three complementary organizations actively contribute to the development, vitality and sustainability of the province’s Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs).
Information: Office of the Chief Executive Officer (O-CEO), 204-289-4077, [email protected].
