The Manitoba government has signed a new multi-year funding agreement with the Association of Bilingual Municipalities of Manitoba (AMBM), that offers bilingual municipalities the support they need to develop and enhance French-language services in their communities.
“This historic agreement is the result of our commitment to strengthen French-language services in Manitoba,” said Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard, minister responsible for Francophone Affairs. “Working hand in hand with our municipal partners, we were able to craft a multi-year agreement that gives bilingual municipalities the tools they need to offer Francophones access to local services in their official language of choice. Our government will continue to work with municipal and stakeholder leadership to realize our shared goal of making Manitoba a truly bilingual province.”
The historic announcement was made on International Day of la Francophonie and AMBM members were notified of the deal at the opening of their leadership meeting in St. Boniface, the minister noted.
Using a combination of provincial funding and federal contributions under the Canada – Manitoba Agreement on French-Language Services, the agreement will provide the AMBM with $885,000 over four years. This investment builds on funding of $165,000 in 2023-24, bringing the total funding to AMBM for enhancing French-language services to $1,050,000 for the five-year period from 2023-24 to 2027-28.
“This unprecedented investment by the Manitoba government represents a significant advancement in the delivery of municipal services in both official languages,” said Ivan Normandeau, president, Association of Bilingual Municipalities of Manitoba. “It ensures essential predictability, enabling us to proceed with confidence in the gradual implementation of the Municipal Maturity Model (3M).”
The 3M model is a tool that allows municipalities to evaluate the level of services available in French, identify strengths and gaps, and determine the necessary steps to achieve progress. The funds will support enhanced translation, language training, policy development, the normalization of the use of both official languages and the ability of municipalities to attract more bilingual residents and entrepreneurs, noted the minister.
“The ongoing vitality and prosperity of our bilingual communities is a testament to the essential role the AMBM has played for over 30 years,” said Simard. “They are valued partners in our efforts to enhance the vitality of Manitoba’s Francophone community and support and assist its development.”
The AMBM serves as the voice of bilingual municipal governments in Manitoba and has 16 members across the province. It aims to leverage the added value of bilingualism to bolster the development and sustainability of its members and their communities.
