Manitoba Government announces Water and Wasterwater Framework

The Manitoba Government Tuesday Morning has unveiled a new tiered approach to funding and procurement for water and wastewater projects in the province.

The proposed "Municipal Water and Wastewater Investment Framework" aims to streamline investments, improve coordination among departments, and promote collaboration with municipalities to address critical infrastructure needs.

Municipal Relations Minister Andrew Smith and Consumer Protection and Government Services Minister James Teitsma jointly announced the framework, emphasizing the government's commitment to modernizing water and wastewater treatment systems while fostering stronger partnerships with local communities.

This new framework was a key pillar to the Association of Manitoba Municipalities' (AMM) "Let's Grow Maniotba, Together" Campaign. The Campaign laid out the groundwork that municipalities wanted the next provincial election to be fought on. The AMM called on all parties to pledge to increase Manitoba Water Services Board funding for water and wastewater infrastructure,

Minister Smith said, "During the Association of Manitoba Municipalities June district meetings throughout the province, we heard water and wastewater was a top priority, and this framework will bring Manitoba's priorities into focus, address infrastructure deficit challenges, and help build new capacity among municipal stakeholders."

The Municipal Water and Wastewater Investment Framework establishes investment tiers for the province to clarify funding mechanisms, procurement approaches, and partnership opportunities for municipalities. The Manitoba government will structure its review and support for projects using the new framework that is informed by input from partners.

Minister Teitsma stressed the need for a holistic approach to tackle the increasing complexity of water and wastewater projects, saying, "The Municipal Water and Wastewater Investment Framework will improve provincial policy alignment, coordination, and collaboration among partners shared priorities. Our government is working to ensure that municipalities can move quickly to advance the critical infrastructure projects needed to benefit local communities, the provincial economy, and our environment."

Kam Blight, President of the AMM, praised the government's initiative, stating, "As the Association of Manitoba Municipalities makes it a priority to tour across Manitoba to meet one-on-one with municipalities, it is clear that there is a great need for increased dollars to support water and wastewater infrastructure. Thus, the proposed Municipal Water and Wastewater Investment Framework represents a valuable addition to the toolbox, offering municipalities an extra tool to advance some water and wastewater infrastructure projects within their communities."