The President of the AMBM and Reeve of the Rural Municipality of La Broquerie, Mr. Ivan Normandeau, issued the following statement on the groundbreaking ceremony for the new $29 million Taché Community Centre:
On October 29th, 2024, the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable Ian Bushie, Minister of Municipal and Northern Relations, along with Mr. Armand Poirier, Mayor, and many other municipal leaders of the Rural Municipality of Taché, as well as numerous partners and proud community members, celebrated the sod-turning of the Taché Community Centre. This major project, with a total value of approximately $29 million, received essential financial support from all three orders of government, with a combined contribution of over $13.3 million from the governments of Canada and Manitoba, with the remainder coming from various benefactors, partners and the Rural Municipality of Taché itself.
The AMBM was proud to participate in marking this momentous occasion. This project will directly contribute to improving the quality of life for residents of Taché and the surrounding region. The Taché Community Centre is destined to become an anchor for the regional community, serving Lorette, Landmark, Sainte-Geneviève, Ross, Linden and other communities.
Investing in rural infrastructure has a far-reaching impact, and the Taché Community Centre stands out as a priority and emblematic project for all bilingual municipalities in Manitoba, spurring both the development and vitality of our rural Francophone and bilingual communities.
This new centre underlines the crucial importance of the partnership between the three orders of government when it comes to infrastructure. It represents a strategic investment with a direct impact on the development and vitality of our local Francophone and bilingual communities. This centre is more than just a building; it is a vibrant reflection of a strong commitment to our two official languages and to our local Francophone community, which are at the heart of the identity of the Rural Municipality of Taché.
By investing in this centre, the three orders of government and their partners are investing in the future of the Francophone community of Taché and Manitoba, by creating a space for gathering and sharing where French culture and language can flourish and be passed on to future generations. It will be a place where various Francophone and bilingual groups and partners can offer French-language programming and activities, thereby helping to normalize the French fact.
This project is also a powerful engine for the local economy. It is a catalyst for community growth and prosperity. There is no doubt that this community facility will make the Rural Municipality of Taché even more attractive and welcoming.
The Rural Municipality of Taché, like all bilingual municipalities in Manitoba, is experiencing significant growth. In fact, Taché is the second-largest bilingual municipality in Manitoba. For this growth to be managed responsibly and sustainably, it is essential that adequate resources be available. Federal and provincial infrastructure programs remain crucial to meeting the challenges facing Manitoba’s bilingual communities, and facilities like the Taché Community Centre play a fundamental role in this equation. This centre is a concrete example of what can be achieved, but we must continue on this path and go further, together.
Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities need further strategic investment, and the AMBM is counting on greater collaboration and coordination on the part of the federal and provincial governments to support these bilingual communities and help them meet their challenges.
We would like to thank the project’s major allies, the governments of Canada and Manitoba, for their vision and leadership, which is reflected in the significant financial support that has made this long-awaited project a reality for the Rural Municipality of Taché. We would also like to express our gratitude to the municipal leaders, community groups and partners who gave so much to make this project a reality. Thanks to their efforts, a collective and meaningful project is finally coming to fruition, a facility that will serve the entire region by promoting community spirit, family, togetherness, learning, physical activity and collective well-being.
The AMBM is the voice of bilingual municipal leadership in the province of Manitoba. It represents 16 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 AMBM Group, a consortium of three complementary organizations: 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 Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs) across the province.
Information: Office of the Chief Executive Officer (O-CEO), 204-289-4077, [email protected].
