A new arrangement between the RPGA and MSTW planning districts aims to provide a more consistent, professional approach to development in the area.
The RPGA is now out-sourcing all building inspections to the MSTW.
"They (MSTW) will be providing all of their inspectors to do all of our building inspections. All of the planning and development agreements and permits will still happen at the RPGA, so we will keep the local knowledge around our own zoning by-laws," explained Jordan Siemens, co-chair of the RPGA's board of directors. "Residents will start with the RPGA, get a development agreement and then they can take that to the MSTW where the building inspections will then happen."
Siemens added, for years, the RPGA has been using the MSTW To inspect any Part 3 (commercial) building permits, and this new arrangement now includes all residential less than three stories as well.
The aim of this new arrangement, according to Siemens, is to provide a better experience for residents and builders.
"When we (RPGA) had just a single inspector and if that inspector was out for any kind of reason, then we need to find a replacement or a substitute in which you don't have that consistency of approach. Another thing is, a lot of our trades in southern Manitoba do work across Rhineland, Altona Stanley, Morden, and so now those trades will be dealing with the same inspectors all the time and the interpretation of the building codes will be similar across those regions. So, consistency of approach, consistency of availability is a big part of it."
Don Fehr, chair of the MSTW Planning District board, feels it's a fair deal.
"We were in the area regardless, so it was just a good fit. We were coming out there anyway. To do the extra inspections, we're looking at a couple of afternoons during the week that we would spend in the area."
Fehr added, MSTW has the full capacity to take on these extra tasks.
Fehr is also a councilor for the City of Winkler, and he says both the MSTW, and city council try to incorporate as much regional partnerships as they can.
"It's important for all of us to grow," he said. "So that the whole area will grow. It always makes more sense because, with having the RPGA on board, they're solving their problem of looking for an inspector, we're making a little bit of extra money and there's a little bit of consistency across the whole region."