The MSTW Planning District hosted an open house on August 13th to present highlights from its draft Development Plan and gather feedback from residents.
The district, made up of the City of Morden, City of Winkler, RM of Stanley, and RM of Thompson, first adopted a joint planning agreement in 1979. Now, with the help of WSP Canada Inc., the district is undertaking a comprehensive review of its Development Plan to ensure policies reflect the needs of the growing region.
The draft plan addresses a number of priorities raised through public engagement, including:
-
Housing: Encouraging a wider range of housing options, from affordable units and secondary suites to smaller lots and “missing-middle” housing.
-
Mobility: Exploring a region-wide multi-use pathway and a feasibility study for regional transit, while strengthening walking and cycling infrastructure.
-
Water and Environment: Expanding aquifer protections, updating drought management measures for Lake Minnewasta, and supporting green infrastructure.
-
Agriculture: Protecting prime farmland while allowing compatible rural residential development, with “right-to-farm” language to support existing operations.
-
Economic Growth: Supporting shared service agreements, protecting the Stanley Corridor for employment, and encouraging thriving downtowns with active transportation links and public spaces.
Land use designations in the plan cover agricultural areas, rural and village areas, urban neighbourhoods, aquifer protection zones, and emerging communities such as Schanzenfeld, Reinfeld, and Rosebrook.
The updated vision describes MSTW as “a progressive region with dynamic communities that balance modern city amenities with a rural quality of life”.
Following this round of public feedback, the plan will be refined and submitted to the Province of Manitoba later this year. The MSTW Board is expected to adopt the final version as a by-law in late 2025.
Those looking to provide feedback can fill out the survey by clicking here.
Continue reading to find the development plan below.
- with files from Robyn Wiebe -
