The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
This provincial election, the Association of Manitoba Municip-alities is asking politicians for increased financial support for communities. Doug Dobrowolski, president of the AMM, outlined this request in an editorial, a condensed version of which follows: Having spent the better part of August touring Manitoba to find out what the major municipal infrastructure issues are, I know firsthand some of the challenges our communities are facing. I heard stories of 100-year-old water mains actually crumbling under the weight of the dirt they are packed in. I heard about municipal public works staff responding to eight water main breaks in one day, in a town of 5,000 people. I heard some parts of Manitoba still don't have cell phone service or high-speed internet. Housing I heard about people moving to Manitoba to work and contribute to our economy, only to be unable to find adequate housing. And I heard that in Manitoba, in 2011, many citizens do not have access to safe, clean drinking water. These issues are affecting communities throughout the province. They are impacting the lives of your neighbours, your friends, and maybe yourselves. The solution is to get more money into the hands of municipalities to fix these problems. And it is a solution that all parties running in this election need to address. See 'Mu...' on pg. 11 Continued from pg. 10 Over the past few weeks, 144 Manitoba municipalities ÐÊalmost 75 per cent Ð have passed resolutions calling on all parties to make a commitment, if elected, to dedicate one cent of the PST to municipal infrastructure. This would provide municipalities with at least an additional $239 million dollars each year. This figure would grow with the economy, and it would be money well spent. Infrastructure spending does not go into some black hole. In many cases, it creates tangible improvements that positively impact our everyday lives. Your drive to work is quicker and safer, your family has recreation and social opportunities, and your water is safe to drink. Not only that, infrastructure spending goes directly into our economy. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities has found that every dollar invested in infrastructure grows the economy, giving us more back. A $1-billion investment would actually grow the economy by $1.3 billion. On the other hand, not making these investments has a negative effect. One Chamber of Commerce president explained it to me this way: "Driving around our community you'll see many, many streets where it is obvious work needs to be done. It doesn't reflect well when we're trying to draw in business and increase our population." After all, that is what most people want Ð to see their communities grow. Growth signals prosperity and new opportunities for us today and for our children in the future. But the infrastructure must exist to support it. Perhaps the mayor of Brandon, Shari Decter-Hirst, said it best: "infrastructure is the investment we need to increase revenues and fuel our growth." One cent of the PST is a lot of money, but infrastructure is already a massive priority that is growing daily. The alternative is grim. Not investing in municipal infrastructure today will lead to the problem becoming larger, more expensive and more devastating. So when you are opening your door to your candidates this election, find out which party is making a firm commitment to our infrastructure and attaching dollars to their promises.
