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 in response to the tragedy that occurred in the community of Tumbler Ridge:

The AMBM wishes to express its deepest solidarity with the Peace River Regional District and the community of Tumbler Ridge following this tragedy, which has plunged the region—and the entire country—into mourning. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this heartbreaking event.

Schools play an essential role in the well-being of our communities. They must always remain healthy and safe environments—places where people learn, grow, come together, and build lasting community bonds.

Our thoughts are with the families impacted, the first responders who have shown great courage, the municipal and community leaders supporting their citizens, as well as the educators and students who are facing these moments with resilience. We also wish to express our solidarity with all residents of Tumbler Ridge.

Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities stand with you wholeheartedly and extend their most sincere support.

We are with you.

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.