Trail Talking

Our Manitoba government is now providing non-profit groups and charitable organizations with a modern and efficient grant support program for community development projects. The new Building Sustainable Communities Program will streamline support province-wide while ensuring strong funding for the needs of neighbourhoods and for vulnerable Manitobans.

The $7.9-million program will transform funding by focusing on increasing capacity and the sustainability of non-profit organizations. Replacing seven provincial grant programs that had top-heavy administrations and rigid requirements, the Building Sustainable Communities Program will be more responsive to the needs of communities while reducing red tape for applicants. The previous community grant programs were layered on top of each other, causing duplication and confusion with different application processes, rules and timelines.

Our Building Sustainable Communities Program will allow non-profit organizations to focus on their work without navigating bureaucracy. The total funding available is the same as it was under the seven previous programs. As well, with funding to support a broader range of projects, the new program will better accommodate neighbourhood, municipal and regional priorities.

Another exciting change for Manitobans in April was the reduction of the fee for ambulance service to $250. This latest decrease has brought the fee to less than 50 per cent of the $522 that it was before. Manitobans used to pay the highest ambulance fee in the country, but not anymore. We have kept the promise we made in 2016 when we were elected, and by doing so, we have ensured that Manitobans are able to receive emergency medical service without having to wonder whether they can afford to call an ambulance.

Separately, there’s good news in St. Adolphe as construction of the planned child-care centre there is soon to get underway. The facility will have more than 110 spaces, through funding of $560,000 from our government and $140,000 from a Manitoba Hydro community development initiative. The municipality of Ritchot is also contributing funds to the project.

At the end of April, I had the pleasure of hosting another one of my Coffee With Bob events. This time it was held in Ste. Anne at the Old No. 1 Café. I enjoyed chatting with Dawson Trail constituents and hearing their ideas and concerns. Thank you to all who were able to come. I’m looking forward to hosting another one soon.