The President of the Association of Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities (AMBM) and Reeve of the Rural Municipality of La Broquerie, Mr. Ivan Normandeau, welcomes the release of the Manitoba government’s first three-year action plan under Manitoba’s Path to Net Zero strategy. The plan confirms the importance of and support for the Southeast Regional Transportation Initiative (SERTi), an initiative led by Eco-West Canada (EWC), a subsidiary of the AMBM, to strengthen sustainable mobility across rural communities in southeastern Manitoba.
The AMBM wishes to recognize the efforts of the Manitoba government, particularly those of the Honourable Mike Moyes, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and his department, in developing this plan. This work demonstrates the value of strong collaboration among partners and confirms Manitoba’s commitment to shared priorities.
The reactivation of the Mobilizing Municipalities Program (MMP) is also a positive development that the AMBM welcomes. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Eco-West Canada (EWC) through this initiative.
The AMBM is particularly encouraged to see confirmation in the Three-Year Action Plan of a $400,000 provincial investment to support the planning and initial implementation phases of the Southeast Regional Transportation Initiative (SERTi), one of the 90 actions identified in the plan.
This recognition confirms SERTi’s importance as a transformational project for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing sustainable rural mobility in support of the objectives set out in Manitoba’s Path to Net Zero strategy.
The result of a rigorous feasibility study and close collaboration among municipalities, local communities, and regional partners, SERTi includes the installation of Level 2 and Level 3 electric vehicle charging stations, the acquisition of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, the deployment of electric bicycles, and the creation of sustainable mobility hubs that integrate public transit and active transportation. Beyond the anticipated benefits for partner communities, SERTi also stands out as an innovative model for sustainable mobility in rural settings that can inspire other regions across Manitoba and elsewhere in Canada.
Through the leadership of Eco-West Canada (EWC), the initiative brings together municipalities, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), and a range of regional stakeholders around a common table, demonstrating the importance of a collaborative approach to advancing the transition to net-zero.
This investment will help make transportation more accessible, affordable, and environmentally sustainable for residents of southeastern Manitoba, while supporting the priorities outlined in the Prosperity Framework for Manitoba’s Bilingual Municipalities.
While this announcement is a positive signal, the long-term success of SERTi and other regional decarbonization initiatives will depend on even stronger collaboration among all orders of government. The AMBM reiterates the importance of municipal, provincial, and federal partners working together and remaining fully engaged around a shared vision.
The Province’s support for SERTi represents an important milestone that reflects the Manitoba government’s confidence in both the project and the work being carried out on the ground by Eco-West Canada (EWC). We believe it is now essential that this commitment be accompanied by active coordination among government partners to ensure access to complementary funding programs and enable the project to achieve its full potential.
The transition to net-zero will require strategic investments, long-term certainty, and a coordinated approach. Manitoba’s rural bilingual communities are ready to do their part. Turning ambition into tangible results will require all orders of government to be at the same table, working toward common objectives and jointly supporting projects that reduce emissions while strengthening the economic vitality of our regions.
In this regard, collaboration among the Government of Manitoba, the Government of Canada, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), Manitoba Environment and Climate Change, and Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada will be essential to ensuring the success of energy transition initiatives in rural communities.
The AMBM remains committed to working with the Government of Manitoba, the Government of Canada, and regional and national partners to advance SERTi and contribute meaningfully to achieving both provincial and federal net-zero objectives.
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.
