View From the Legislature

On Friday of last week, I was joined in Steinbach by Manitoba Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler and Steinbach Mayor Earl Funk to make a significant infrastructure announcement. Together with the City of Steinbach, the Province announced that the intersection of Loewen Blvd. and Highway #12 is scheduled to undergo an $8 million overall that will help ease traffic congestion and improve the safety of the busy intersection.

Residents of Steinbach specifically, and the southeast generally, know that with the rapid growth of the city, there has been increased congestion on its roads. That has led to the redevelopment of a number of the intersections that lead into or through Steinbach, particularly on Highway #12. The intersection of Highway #12 and Loewen Blvd. is frequented by visitors to the community and its improvement will benefit all those who come to Steinbach for shopping, recreation or to visit friends and family.

The project is significant and involves not only widening the intersection and adding turning lanes but moving services and light standards. Over the next year the project will undergo community consultation, design, and engineering work. Given the scope of the project, this preparatory work is significant. Construction of the new intersection is scheduled to begin after tendering in the spring of 2022.

This latest announcement adds to previous infrastructure commitments made in the City of Steinbach. Just recently, more than $30 million was committed to the expansion of the Bethesda Regional Health Centre, including the addition of a dialysis unit. This healthcare capital is in addition to the more than $30 million that is in place for the nearly completed expansion of the Resthaven Personal Care Home.

As well, as part of the provincial commitment to build 20 more schools over the next 10 years, a new elementary school was announced for Steinbach, which supports the already completed expansion of the Mitchell Elementary School and the commitment to expand the Mitchell Middle School.

Also recently, a $40 million event centre located in Steinbach was announced as a result of a funding arrangement between private donors, the federal government, provincial government and the City of Steinbach.

These projects, dealing with healthcare, education, recreation, and road infrastructure are a reflection of the growth of the City of Steinbach and the southeast as a whole. They will have benefits far beyond the borders of the city as residents from the region will access them as well. There are many significant things happening in the region that provide much reason for optimism for Steinbach and the southeast. The Manitoba government is grateful to all those who have helped make these projects a reality and for the contributions that this growing region makes to the province as a whole.