The President of the AMBM and Reeve of the Rural Municipality of La Broquerie, Mr. Ivan Normandeau, enthusiastically welcomes the announcement made by the Honourable Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, confirming significant financial support for organizations supported by the Enabling Fund for Official Language Minority Communities (EF-OLMC), including $3.6 million over five years for the Economic Development Council for Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities (Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba, or CDEM):
On behalf of Manitoba’s bilingual municipal leadership, I would like to thank Minister MacKinnon and his team at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) for this announcement confirming major adjustments to the funding agreements for organizations supported by the Enabling Fund for Official Language Minority Communities (EF-OLMC). These changes are part of a budgetary indexation of $20.5 million, implemented gradually over five years (2023-2028). This amount is in addition to the $74.5 million already renewed for the same period. Furthermore, adjustments for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 fiscal years were finalized in March 2024.
Accordingly, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the CDEM, which will see its funding increased by $818,256, bringing the total to over $3.6 million for the five-year period. This substantial enhancement will strategically bolster all its activities.
An essential lever for economic and social development of Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities
With its mission to propel and support the economic development of Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities, generating positive impacts on the vitality and sustainability of Manitoba’s Francophone and bilingual communities, the CDEM exercises economic leadership rooted in the order of government closest to residents and Official Language Minority Communities (OLMC). Equipped with the capabilities and tools to make a tangible difference, it acts in a concerted manner to meet the specific needs of our Francophone and bilingual communities.
The support provided by ESDC through the EF-OLMC (Stream 1) will enable the CDEM to enhance its human and financial resources across all strategic sectors of intervention. These sectors include community economic development, youth, tourism, business support, as well as the corporate functions of finance, communications, and administration. This investment will directly contribute to the vitality and sustainability of Manitoba’s Francophone and bilingual communities by bolstering the efforts of those who contribute to their growth and excellence on a daily basis.
Federal support aligned with the recognition of official languages as a key driver of economic development
This announcement is in line with the Government of Canada’s commitments to Francophone minority communities. In its 2023 Budget, the federal government recognized our official languages as a tool for economic development and announced an investment of $208 million over five years starting in 2023-2024, followed by annual funding of $54 million to support established organizations like the CDEM in providing employment assistance services. This recognition resonates directly with the mission of the AMBM Group, which focuses on the added value of our two official languages as a driver of sustainable economic development.
Awaiting response to support CDEM’s employment assistance services
While we enthusiastically welcome this announcement, we eagerly anticipate further information regarding Stream 2 of the EF-OLMC. We are optimistic that its impact will be equally beneficial for Manitoba, enabling the CDEM to enhance its employment assistance services throughout Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities. Such an initiative would represent a strategic advancement in strengthening the job market and addressing the shortage of qualified bilingual labour.
Alignment with the strategic priorities of Manitoba’s bilingual municipal leadership
This announcement is directly linked to the Notice on the 16 Strategic Priorities of Manitoba’s Bilingual Municipal Leadership, particularly regarding the importance of supporting economic development, entrepreneurship, and Francophone and bilingual tourism within our member municipalities.
Once again, we sincerely thank the Government of Canada and ESDC for this renewed commitment to the economic and social development of Manitoba’s Francophone and bilingual communities. We will continue to work in concert with our federal and municipal partners to ensure sustainable prosperity for our municipalities and for all of Manitoba’s Francophone and bilingual communities.
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 citizens. 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 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. Complementing each other, these three organizations actively contribute to the development, vitality and sustainability of the province’s Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs) and the province as a whole.
Information: Office of the Chief Executive Officer (O-CEO), 204-289-4077, [email protected].
