AMBM President and Reeve of the Rural Municipality of La Broquerie, Ivan Normandeau, issued the following statement on Premier Heather Stefanson’s announcement of a historic increase in provincial funding for municipal government operations in Manitoba:

This morning, Premier Heather Stefanson and Municipal Relations Minister Andrew Smith announced an unconditional $47 million in additional funding for all Manitoba municipalities, an average increase of 28 per cent across the province to support the operating budgets of municipal governments, after more than seven years of frozen base municipal operating funding.

For Manitoba’s 15 bilingual municipalities, this announcement translates into an overall investment of $19 million, an average increase of 60 per cent in provincial support for our members’ operating funds, which they will be able to invest according to their own needs.

February 24, 2023 will mark the beginning of a new era for municipal governments in Manitoba. Today’s announcement is a major one: the new operating funding model will strengthen the capacity of municipal governments in many ways and provide them with unprecedented flexibility to implement their priorities.

I would like to warmly congratulate Premier Stefanson and Minister Smith for demonstrating innovation, leadership and sensitivity to the asymmetrical needs of Manitoba municipalities. It is important to acknowledge the instrumental role that the Honourable Eileen Clarke, former Minister of Municipal Relations, played in today’s outcome.

I thank them for hearing the voice of our great partner, the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM), which has been advocating for a review of the municipal funding model for several years. From the beginning, we have joined with the AMM on this very important issue. Congratulations to Kam Blight, President and Denys Volkov, Executive Director of the AMM for their tenacity and their strategic action, which has now reached a more than positive outcome.

For many years, the Province of Manitoba, through its Department of Municipal Relations, has been a valued partner to the AMBM and its members.

With today’s announcement and the recent development of our new Municipal Maturity Model (the 3M), more than ever, we have the winning conditions to continue and expand our partnership with the Province to improve municipal services in both official languages and fully participate in our province’s economic recovery.

Together, let’s continue to build strong and prosperous bilingual communities. We’ve only just begun, the best is yet to come.

Information: Office of the Chief Executive Officer (O-CEO), 204-289-4077, [email protected].