On January 22nd, 2026, Manitoba’s capital hosted a series of strategic meetings bringing together leaders from the province’s bilingual municipalities under the theme Our Bilingual Advantage, an initiative of the Association of Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities (AMBM). Following this day focused on intergovernmental collaboration—emphasizing dialogue and the sharing of expertise—the AMBM issued the following readout:
This meeting confirmed the importance of working together to support the development, vitality, and long‑term sustainability of Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities.
Strategic Alignment of Manitoba’s Bilingual Municipalities with Ottawa
The day began with an exclusive interview, conducted by AMBM Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Justin Johnson, with Ms. Ginette Lavack, Member of Parliament for Saint‑Boniface—Saint‑Vital, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services, and a strategic ally in Ottawa.
The interview highlighted the strategic alignment between Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities and federal government priorities, demonstrating their ability to leverage their bilingual advantage to stimulate economic prosperity, reduce interprovincial barriers, strengthen essential infrastructure such as drinking water and wastewater treatment, and foster sustainable and inclusive development in Manitoba’s bilingual communities.
Strengthened Collaboration with the New Democratic Party Caucus
A first roundtable then brought together municipal elected officials and representatives of Manitoba’s New Democratic Party caucus, including:
- The Honourable Glen Simard, Minister of Municipal and Northern Relations, Minister responsible for Francophone Affairs, and MLA for Brandon East
- The Honourable Malaya Marcelino, Minister of Labour and Immigration and MLA for Notre Dame
- The Honourable Mintu Sandhu, Minister of Public Service Delivery and MLA for The Maples
- The Honourable Renée Cable, Minister of Advanced Education and Training and MLA for Southdale
- Ms. Rachelle Schott, MLA for Kildonan–River East
- Mr. Tyler Blashko, MLA for Lagimodière
- Ms. Carla Compton, MLA for Tuxedo
- Mr. David Pankratz, MLA for Waverley
Discussions highlighted the shared challenges facing Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities: rapid growth and land‑use planning, affordable housing, safety and well‑being of seniors, health and child‑care services, climate change, as well as strengthening essential infrastructure such as drinking water, wastewater treatment, and road networks.
Co‑chaired by Mr. Robert Loiselle, MLA for Saint‑Boniface, and attended by several ministers and MLAs, the roundtable strengthened the spirit of collaboration between municipalities and the province to build stronger and more prosperous bilingual communities.
Minister Glen Simard emphasized the need for a coordinated approach between the provincial government and municipal administrations, highlighting the importance of an active and engaged presence on the ground. He affirmed that the government does not intend to act as a distant observer, but to root itself in communities by meeting residents, engaging in dialogue, and taking concrete action.
AMBM Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Justin Johnson, presented MLAs with sashes featuring the Louis Riel pattern, paying tribute to the figure recognized as Manitoba’s founding father and a passionate defender of a vibrant bilingual vision grounded in respect, recognition of rights, and cultural coexistence.
Policy Update for Members
AMBM Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Justin Johnson, also delivered a policy update on the transformative initiatives of the Municipal Maturity Model (3M). Two flagship projects were highlighted: the rollout of bilingual signage in municipalities—funded at $1.6 million over three years through the Canada‑Manitoba Agreement on French‑Language Services (CMAFLS)—and the strengthening of the municipal engagement team coordinated by Mr. Réjean Vermette.
The CEO also addressed other strategic files that will be followed in the coming months: data collection on members’ water and wastewater priorities in collaboration with the Manitoba Water Services Board (MWSB), as well as projects submitted to the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF), for which several members have already put forward proposals.
Strengthening Rural Communities at the Federal Level
Ms. Sherri Hanley, Director of Member Engagement – Policy and Public Affairs at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), presented the report The Future of Rural Canada. The report examines five major issues through a rural lens to identify adapted solutions and resources for rural communities: digital connectivity, infrastructure and transportation, housing and homelessness, community safety, and climate resilience.
Ms. Hanley also underscored the FCM’s full recognition of the value and strategic role of rural municipalities in the socio‑economic development and vitality of regions across Canada. She contextualized these issues within an international landscape—including Canada‑U.S. relations and developments with China—to better support rural communities in a rapidly evolving global environment.
Dialogue with the Progressive Conservative Party Caucus
A second roundtable was held with members of Manitoba’s Progressive Conservative Party caucus, focusing on the priorities of bilingual municipal leadership.
The discussion allowed municipal elected officials to gain a better understanding of the Progressive Conservative Party caucus and strengthen collaboration across all parties to advance members’ priorities. The roundtable provided an opportunity to examine, from a complementary perspective, the common issues already discussed in the morning, highlighting the realities of rural communities and key structural priorities for the development and vitality of Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities.
Participants in this roundtable included:
- Mr. Obby Khan, Leader of the Official Opposition, Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba, and MLA for Fort Whyte
- Mr. Wayne Ewasko, MLA for Lac du Bonnet
- Mr. Bob Lagassé, MLA for Dawson Trail
The key theme for the year—and for all AMBM members—remains intergovernmental collaboration. Today’s discussions reaffirmed the AMBM Group’s commitment to being part of the solution by working with all parties and supporting the implementation of provincial and federal priorities.
Through this collective approach, we help build a strong, prosperous, and resilient Manitoba and Canada, while emphasizing the strategic role of bilingual and rural municipalities in the economic, social, and environmental development of our communities.
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, [email protected].
