Municipal leaders in the RM of Sifton have been strong advocates for the rehabilitation of the Oak Lake Dam. In addition to this they've seen the negative side of blue-green algal blooms that affect the recreation on the lake as well as the fish population. Cyanobacteria is toxic to humans and pets and contributes to an unhealthy eco-system for underwater fish and plants.
The Oak Lake committee recently acquired a grant through the Manitoba Fish and Wildlife Enhancement Fund (FWEF) to build a spawning bed for walleye. They also applied for funding for an aeration system to be installed in Oak Lake to mitigate these toxic algal blooms.
Last summer community leaders toured the Oak Lake Dam and the lake itself with provincial leaders including Premier Wab Kinew. Also, last summer members of the Oak Lake committee, including councillor Scott Phillips, visited with lake committee members at Pelican Lake and Killarney Lake to learn more about those aeration systems.
So, the Oak Lake team did their due diligence to research and secure funding through the FWEF. However, when they were denied that funding for aeration, Scott Phillips, went to work to advocate for his community.
"It was declined after we had reason to believe that it was going to be approved," says Phillips. "So, I appealed it, and they said, 'well, you know, Scott, there's not really an appeal process'.
"Well, I don't like the word no, especially when this is a big regional thing," he explains. "I said, 'You're able to clear up the lake for the fish, the algae, the swimmers, the tourism, everything. It was like $100,000 and I don't know why you'd say 'no'.'"
"We had the Premier out to Oak Lake last year to look at the dam, which is a big part of why the dam is getting done. And then we took the Premier to the beach to show them the algae blooms and to meet with the cottage owners. And now lo and behold, the government found money outside of FWEF and gave us a cheque for $95,000 to put aerators in the lake!"
Last week the Manitoba government announced a $19.7 million investment to rehabilitate Oak Lake Dam, which will include the reconstruction of the dam spillway and the stabilization and protection of its embankments.
Both of these investments are huge wins for the community.
Up until this point rural lake committees relied on government funding such as FWEF to secure dollars to install their lake aeration systems and other enhancements to community lakes. Pelican Lake and Killarney Lake are two examples where committees relied on public donations to purchase, construct and install their aeration fields.
For Oak Lake and the surrounding area, Phillip's tenacity paid off.
"If you stay persistent, you stay polite and you stay focused and when you get told 'no', you find out how you can turn that 'no' to a 'yes' and work as a team and make it a win project," he says. "And that's what happened. And it is a success story for the ratepayers of the RM of Sifton, and all of those who use the beach."
Phillips has been advocating for his community, and for rural Manitoba as a whole, for close to 15 years. He is co-vice president of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM).
"And every time I go into the Manitoba Legislature, I take letters of reminders, polite suggestions. We never go in with our hand out. We go with a handshake!"
"That was taught to me from day one," he adds. "And of course I see it. I see it all the time with AMM and the AMM's approach is the same approach I've had. Let's go in with a solution. Let's talk, like we know we're not going to get the answer today or tomorrow, but let's look at something 30-60-90 days down the road and how can we work together as a region or a municipality, whether it's a lagoon, or a highway or a whatever ... work together with the province and let's make this work."
It does take tenacity but it's worth the effort in the end, he says. One example of this is the situation with Manitoba's First Responders.
"Yeah, it's been slow to get the support from the province with all of this, but it also was slow with the Manitoba First Responders that were told 'no' ... it will never happen ..., it makes no sense. Well, we said, 'You've got to have it! We don't have the paramedics. We said it has to be this way. So, it took a couple of years, but the Manitoba First Responders got what they wanted, actually more than they wanted. So that was a win."
"We were all told, 'no', you're never going to see an AG office again in rural Manitoba," continues Phillips, "but we said, 'That's unacceptable. With broadband issues and older farmers and Internet service problems, and people want to meet face to face. It's never going to happen they said... Well, we've got two offices coming back to the Westman region."
Carberry's petition against the RCUT proposal for the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 5; the site of a tragic 2023 collision that killed 17 people is another example of rural Manitobans advocating for what's important for their region.
Last week Premier Wab Kinew confirmed the Manitoba government is backing away from the controversial intersection RCUT design near Carberry, following overwhelming opposition from residents, farmers, and local leaders. In this case the larger community took extensive efforts to bring their safety concerns to the Province to rethink their plan.
"So yeah, people will listen if you come together with a nice polite proposal and make it work, and stuff will get done," adds Phillips. "Everyone wants to win. Everyone wants to have success and grow," says Phillips. "So, let's do it together."