Candace Derksen

The Municipality of Emerson-Franklin has unveiled its long-awaited economic development master plan.
    
Part of that vision includes capturing the economic potential generated by the Canada/U.S. border crossing at Emerson by partnering with the Province to create an economic development zone on Crown land along Highway 75 north of the port of entry. 

The sod was turned Wednesday on a new 2,000-plus square foot location for Rosenort Credit Union's (RCU) Altona branch.

Brad Penner, CEO of Rosenort Credit Union, says the undeveloped area at 306 Centre Ave. East has great visibility.

"We were in contact with the local developer (that is working on the plot of land) and really liked the location...and this is offering us the ability to develop with the developer and create a nice space for our future credit union," he explained.

Penner added, that they've simply outgrown the current branch location at 4th Ave NE.

The RPGA Planning District is reporting a surge in building permit values to start the year.
    
Values for the first six months in the Municipality of Rhineland are up 75 percent over the same period last year, ringing in at $13.8 million.
    
The Town of Altona is sitting at 56 percent with permits valued at $5.6 million so far. 

"We're seeing quite a surge in the values of the permits. I believe that's partially due to inflation, however, building permit numbers are still very good," said Community Development Officer Susan Stein.

"The Bank of Canada (BoC) is definitely looking to keep inflation under control," says Larry Davey, President and CEO of Access Credit Union, following the BoC's aggressive one-point hike to the key lending rate last week. The BoC rate now sits at 2.5 per cent. 

"The consensus was we thought we'd see about a three-quarter of a percent jump, but the Bank obviously wants to make things happen quicker, so they bumped it one percent," adds Davey.

He describes the intent behind increasing the key lending rate in order to curb inflation.

A trend being experienced at many Manitoba animal shelters is unfolding here in the Pembina Valley. Like other organizations, the Pembina Valley Humane Society (PVHS) is reporting a high number of dogs and cats being surrendered or returned this year.
    

Phase 1 upgrades to the Pembina Valley Water Co-op's (PVWC) water treatment plant in Letellier are progressing. 

CEO Greg Archibald says a new lime plant is nearly ready to come online and the $10 million tender has been awarded for a new 4 million litre reservoir.

"Part of that is building a new road around the plant, so the road is in progress (and) part of the backside of the plant is being demolished as we speak."

"The Bank of Canada (BoC) is definitely looking to keep inflation under control," said Larry Davey, President and CEO of Access Credit Union, following the BoC's aggressive one-point hike to the key lending rate last week. The BoC rate now sits at 2.5 percent. 

"The consensus was we thought we'd see about a three-quarter of a percent jump, but the Bank obviously wants to make things happen quicker, so they bumped it one percent," added Davey.

He describes the intent behind increasing the key lending rate in order to curb inflation.

The province's Finance Minister is calling on the federal government to help ease the pressure Manitobans are feeling at the gas pump. 
    
In response to what he says is a frequent suggestion from Manitobans that government should be providing economic relief at the pump by decreasing gas taxes during this time of historic inflation, Cameron Friesen clarified the provincial and federal levies applied to fuel in a recently authored op-ed titled, Hard Facts on Gas Tax.

It's been nearly one year since the Pembina Valley Water Co-op (PVWC) declared a State of Drought Emergency in the region.
    
Greg Archibald, CEO for the PVWC, says in August 2021 the Red River dropped down to 340 cubic feet per second (CFS) from 1,500 cfs two months earlier in June. Looking back on that time, he says it was all kind of a blur.

A 130' X 300' section of green space has been cordoned off north of the Millennium Exhibition Centre (MEC)  in Altona, creating a temporary dog park in the community.
    
With about 400 dogs currently registered with the Town and a spike in dog ownership in the last two years, Recreation Manager Eric Hildebrand says the pop-up dog park is actually a pilot project he hopes will help gauge demand for a possible permanent facility in the future.

"It'll be here for July and August, and we hope the community comes out to check it out and to use it," said Hildebrand.