November 8, 2019
Province Announces Working Group for Winnipeg Metro Region
– – –Working Group Committed to Taking Action On For the Benefit of All Report
Following the release of For the Benefit of All: Regional Competitiveness and Collaboration in the Winnipeg METRO Region, Municipal Relations Minister Rochelle Squires today announced the establishment of the working group to take action on the report’s recommendations.
“We are very pleased to immediately begin implementing one of the recommendations from Dr. Murray,” said Squires. “This highly skilled group will help to set us on a course for success, by working to unlock the full economic potential of our province.”
The report, authored by Robert W. Murray, PhD, managing director – government affairs and public policy at Dentons Canada LLP, provides an analysis of the current environment and offers a starting place to increase economic investment in Manitoba.
The working group will consist of Murray serving in an advisory capacity and as interim chair, and 13 members:
• Susan A. Thompson – community leader, entrepreneur, politician, diplomat, philanthropic fundraiser and founder of the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region (WMR);
• Karl Loepp – chief operating officer, Private Pension Partner;
• Don Streuber – executive chair, Bison Transport Inc.;
• Martin McGarry – president and CEO, Cushman and Wakefield Stevenson;
• Michael Jack – chief corporate services officer, City of Winnipeg;
• Laren Bill – chair of treaty land entitlement, Implementation Monitoring Committee;
• Dr. Annette Trimbee – president, University of Winnipeg;
• John Wintrup – planner, Richard Wintrup and Associates;
• Dayna Spiring – president and CEO, Economic Development Winnipeg;
• Mike Scatliff – director, Scatliff and Miller and Murray;
• Christian Korell – owner and CEO, Barnes and Duncan;
• Ron Hambley – president, Winnipeg Construction Association; and
• Colleen Sklar – executive director, the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region.
In March 2019, the Province of Manitoba tasked the WMR to co-ordinate economic development, reduce red tape and duplication, and develop a strategy to co-ordinate land use and servicing. As a first step to deliver on this mandate, Murray was engaged to develop clear steps forward.
His report, For the Benefit of All: Regional Competitiveness and Collaboration in the Winnipeg METRO Region, released on Oct. 31, highlighted recommendations to:
• develop a culture of regional collaboration,
• build a foundation for economic success, and
• develop an investor-ready climate.
Murray also recommended the working group be established and prepared to provide policy advice in time for the 2020 spring legislative cycle.
“I am confident this highly skilled group will act swiftly to create the foundation for a stronger, more competitive capital region better positioned to attract opportunity,” said Squires.
The WMR will be working with the Province of Manitoba and the newly formed working group to undertake the actions identified in the report to ensure the WMR and the Province of Manitoba remain competitive long into the future, the minister noted.
A copy of For the Benefit of All: Regional Competitiveness and Collaboration in the Winnipeg METRO Region can be found at https://winnipegmetroregion.ca/index.php/for-the-benefit-of-all.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ATTACHED
Backgrounder
Background Information - https://www.gov.mb.ca/asset_library/en/newslinks/2019/11/BG-WMR_Bios-MR.pdf