MHCA to discuss federal infrastructure funding with City of Winnipeg

The City of Winnipeg should see significant funding flow out of the Canada Community-Building Fund, that has been renewed for 10 years by the recently announced federal/provincial investment agreement, MHCA President & CEO Chris Lorenc said.

It is hoped that with the long-term, predictable funding, the City of Winnipeg can continue its accelerated regional road renewals, on the heels of a similar agreement that ended in 2023, Lorenc said.

The renewed CCBF agreement was among the priority items discussed at a September 4 Executive Committee meeting. The 10-year agreement was signed by the governments August 31 and will see $415 million flow to Manitoba in the first five years, to address local infrastructure priorities.

Other items discussed by the MHCA Executive Committee included:

• MHCA is to meet with Winnipeg Coun. Jeff Browaty, who is Chair of City Hall’s Finance & Economic Development Committee, to discuss the 2025 budget and the need for a chief economic development officer to champion growing the economy.
• MHCA also will be meeting with Winnipeg Coun. Evan Duncan in the coming weeks. Duncan is Chair of the Water, Waste & Environment Committee.
• TDS Law has offered to hold a series of seminars on topics of interest to the heavy construction industry, beginning this fall. MHCA surveyed Board members and will ask to start with sessions on: the law of liquated damages; tendering & procurement; and, the Builders’ Liens Act/prompt payment legislation
• Manitoba Transportation & Infrastructure’s Fall 2024 MTI tender ad schedule, posted recently, lists numerous projects to be tendered in September. MHCA will be contacting senior MTI staff to ask about projects intended to start this year and progress on expending the $500 million highways capital program this year.
• MHCA’s WorkSafely program has updated its training and COR certification programs and will be informing members shortly of changes to come.
  • WorkSafely has restarted its e-news circulation and the first issue of Safety Scoop is scheduled to be sent to members in September

“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 in October and a second meeting that month, as part of our stakeholder partners’ ‘Growing the Economy’ forum with the Mayor October 22,” Lorenc noted.