Proudly Canadian
Proudly Canadian
Nearly a year after forcing amalgamation on 100 municipalities, the provincial government announces a $1-million support fund to help with expenses
The newly appointed minister of municipal government says the province will help with the amalgamation process
The room was pin-drop quiet as Stan Struthers, Manitoba’s new minister of municipal government, addressed the Association of Manitoba Municipalities convention here last week. His speech largely focused on fence mending after a year of tension between the province and municipalities over forced amalgamation. Most of his 40-minute talk was spent defending the province’s decisionThe voluntary merger that created the Municipality of Shoal Lake saves taxpayers $60,000 annually and improved local government efficiency
Don Yanick is getting a lot of calls from municipal officials across the province these days about the hot-button issue of amalgamation. And when asked if it was worth it, the mayor of the Municipality of Shoal Lake points to $60,000 in annual savings and a much more efficient local government. “Right off the top,Association of Manitoba Municipalities head says amalgamation is a complex process that can’t be rushed
The province has told municipalities to get on with amalgamation, rejecting their plea for more time for orderly planning. “It’s an expedited process,” said Doug Dobrowolski, president of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities. “We’re very concerned that the public is not going to have an opportunity to voice their concern here.” But that argument didn’t
