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Province Announces Manitoba Municipal Modernization Process Now Complete

Twenty-five remaining Manitoba municipalities have officially amalgamated into 10 newly amalgamated municipalities, completing the modernization process set out in the Municipal Amalgamations Act, Municipal Government Minister Stan Struthers announced today. 

“I commend the difficult work undertaken by municipal leaders to successfully reach partnerships and reduce administrative costs,” said Minister Struthers.  “We can now roll up our sleeves and work together to focus on investing in the infrastructure priorities of Manitoba’s municipalities, such as the recently announced $84 million formunicipal water and waste-water infrastructure projects in rural and northern Manitoba.”  

Minister Struthers further noted that provincial grants are being maintained to new municipalities at a cost-neutral impact.

Some of the ways municipalities will be strengthened through amalgamation include:

• reinvesting administrative savings into better services;
• reducing operational costs through sharing of major assets like water-treatment and recreation facilities;
• helping to recruit and retain skilled municipal staff;
• providing more opportunities to attract business and economic development with reduced red tape, common regional regulations, infrastructure and services; and
• finding savings and efficiencies through economies of scale.

All 85 municipalities with populations under 1,000 had amalgamation plans approved for a total
47 amalgamations effective Jan. 1, 2015.  The most recent amalgamated municipalities are:

• the Village of Benito and RM of Swan River became the Municipality of Swan Valley West;
• the Town of Gretna, Town of Plum Coulee and RM of Rhineland became the Municipality of Rhineland;
• the Village of Elkhorn, RM of Wallace and RM of Woodworth became the RM of Wallace-Woodworth;
• the RM of Bifrost and Village of Riverton became the Municipality of Bifrost-Riverton;
• the Town of Emerson and RM of Franklin became the Municipality of Emerson-Franklin;
• the Town of Gilbert Plains and the RM of Gilbert Plains became the Municipality of Gilbert Plains;
• the Village of Bowsman, Town of Minitonas and RM of Minitonas became the Municipality of Minitonas-Bowsman;
• the RM of Albert, RM of Arthur and RM of Edward became the Municipality of Two Borders;
• the Town of Birtle, RM of Birtle and RM of Miniota became the Prairie View Municipality; and
• the RM of Eriksdale and RM of Siglunes became the Municipality of West Interlake.