MHCA presses Winnipeg to put federal infrastructure funding to roads
The City of Winnipeg should use a portion of its shared from the federal the Canada Community-Building Fund to renew the now-expired accelerated regional roads agreement, the MHCA Board of Directors heard at a meeting September 18.
MHCA President & CEO Chris Lorenc told the Board discussions with senior Winnipeg councillors recently have included discussion about the City’s share of the additional CCBF money, a 10-year agreement signed by the provincial and federal governments August 31. It will see $415 million flow to Manitoba in the first five years, to address local infrastructure priorities.
The former five-year accelerated regional road renewals, signed between Winnipeg, Manitoba and Canada, ended in 2023.
Other items discussed by the MHCA Executive Committee included:
- MHCA will be issuing an addendum in the next weeks to the 2024 Equipment Rental Rates Guide, specific to the rates and weight classification of motor graders, to cover errors and omissions within the 2024 Guide. Members will receive this notice via email, as well, once the addendum is finalized.
- MHCA met with Winnipeg Coun. Jeff Browaty, Chair of City Hall’s Finance & Economic Development Committee, to discuss the 2025 budget, the need for a chief economic development officer to champion growing the economy and the imperatives of formal new fiscal deal discussions
- Manitoba Transportation & Infrastructure’s fall tender ad schedule, posted recently, lists numerous projects to be tendered in September. MHCA has heard members continue to be concerned whether the full $500-million highways capital program for 2024 will be fully expended.
- MHCA’s WorkForce program will be engaged in research and public surveys to determine perception of the industry and to assist in the strategy to boost awareness, recruitment and training for the heavy construction industry
- MHCA and nine other organizations are hosting Mayor Scott Gillingham at the 2024 Leaders’ Forum – Growing the Economy, on October 22. Members are strongly encouraged to register for this event.
“We will be having a lot of contact with Winnipeg City Hall this fall, both in terms of infrastructure investment and because we have two meetings planned with Mayor Scott Gillingham – one with the Board of Directors on October 7 and a second meeting that month, as part of our stakeholder partners’ ‘Growing the Economy’ forum with the Mayor October 22,” Lorenc noted.
