{"id":5334,"date":"2026-03-23T11:13:54","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T16:13:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vvgut0abxs.wpdns.site\/?p=5334"},"modified":"2026-04-08T15:22:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T20:22:33","slug":"our-bilingual-advantage-mobilizing-municipalities-for-a-truly-bilingual-manitoba","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ambm.ca\/en\/our-bilingual-advantage-mobilizing-municipalities-for-a-truly-bilingual-manitoba\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Bilingual Advantage: Mobilizing Municipalities for a Truly Bilingual Manitoba"},"content":{"rendered":"

On March 19th<\/sup>, 2026, on the eve of International Francophonie<\/em> Day, the City of Winnipeg hosted a series of strategic exchanges bringing together leaders from Manitoba\u2019s bilingual municipalities. Convened at the initiative of the Association of Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities (AMBM), the discussions were held under the theme Our Bilingual Advantage<\/em>. The AMBM is releasing this summary of the strategic day, which highlighted the strength and impact of the AMBM Group as a lever for collaboration with the provincial government, driven by a proactive approach rooted in dialogue, cohesion, and collective action:<\/h1>\n

The day opened with welcoming remarks from the City of Winnipeg\u2019s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Mr. Joseph Dunford, who underscored the long-standing relationship between the City and the AMBM. He noted that Winnipeg is proud to be an engaged member and to work collaboratively with Manitoba\u2019s bilingual municipalities to advance municipal services in both official languages.<\/p>\n

Emphasis was placed on the importance of sustained collaboration between large urban centres and rural municipalities, with a view to continuously improving services for residents, regardless of where they live.<\/p>\n

Active Offer in Practice within Municipalities<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mrs. Nicole Young, Manager of French Language Services, then delivered a concrete, municipally grounded presentation on the implementation of active offer within municipal administrations. Drawing on practical examples, she outlined the key steps of the process, from planning through to the delivery of communications and services.<\/p>\n

She stressed the importance of a proactive approach, reminding participants that messages must be conceived in both official languages from the outset in order to ensure true equity in access to information. As she aptly noted, when a message is not released in both official languages, a portion of the population is inevitably disadvantaged.<\/p>\n

This presentation reaffirmed the role of the Municipal Maturity Model (3M)<\/a> as a structuring tool that supports strategic planning, municipal autonomy, and the continuous improvement of bilingual municipal services.<\/p>\n

Bilingual Municipalities: A Springboard Toward a Truly Bilingual Manitoba<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Premier of Manitoba, the Honourable Wab Kinew, then addressed participants, recognizing the essential\u2014and often demanding\u2014role played by municipal elected officials. On the eve of a municipal election, he emphasized that municipal engagement is fundamentally about serving the community, and that municipalities are often the first to identify opportunities for growth and development.<\/p>\n

He highlighted that Manitoba\u2019s Francophonie<\/em> extends well beyond Winnipeg and is present throughout the province, including in western and rural regions. He also underscored the importance of immersion as a key driver in promoting bilingualism and fostering cultural openness.<\/p>\n

The Premier stressed the critical role of municipal services delivered in both official languages, noting that bilingualism also begins within bilingual municipalities themselves.<\/p>\n

He concluded with a strong and unifying message: with robust and strengthened municipal and governmental services, Manitoba can demonstrate that the Francophonie<\/em> is alive and well. A truly bilingual Manitoba is a project of national unity.<\/p>\n

Strategic Conversation between the Honourable Wab Kinew and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Justin Johnson<\/strong><\/p>\n

The discussion between the Premier of Manitoba and Mr. Justin Johnson provided an opportunity to further explore several areas of collaboration between the AMBM and the provincial government.<\/p>\n

The Premier emphasized the importance of a strong partnership with the AMBM, reflecting the spirit of social cohesion and openness that characterizes Manitoba. He expressed his desire to see the province shine both nationally and internationally by focusing on concrete, measurable results.<\/p>\n

The exchange also addressed municipal infrastructure funding challenges, recognized as a key lever for competitiveness, economic development, and community resilience. In a context where federal funds, while significant, remain limited once allocated on a per-capita basis, municipalities will need to prioritize structuring projects capable of supporting growth, attracting investment, and addressing current and future economic challenges. Alignment with federal and provincial priorities therefore remains essential to maximizing on-the-ground impacts.<\/p>\n

As stated by the Honourable Wab Kinew, the provincial government directly supports the regional designation of Ste-Anne Hospital, recognizing its strategic importance for local communities. It was also confirmed that the Ste-Anne Hospital Working Group will hold its first meeting by the end of the month,<\/a> marking a concrete step forward on this priority file.<\/p>\n

Ahead of the provincial budget, the Premier also confirmed $400,000 in funding for Eco-West Canada (EWC), an AMBM subsidiary, demonstrating a tangible commitment to climate adaptation and to the organization\u2019s recognized expertise. This support will help strengthen EWC\u2019s operational capacity on the ground in direct support of municipalities and advance structuring initiatives such as rural mobility, including the Southeast Regional Transportation Initiative (SERTi), which is essential to improving connectivity, supporting economic development, and responding to the realities of rural communities.<\/p>\n

Question-and-Answer Session with the Honourable Lisa Naylor, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure<\/strong><\/p>\n

The morning concluded with an exchange with Minister Lisa Naylor, structured around five main themes:<\/p>\n