Candace Derksen

The numbers are in, and 2022 was another solid year for the RPGA Planning District. 

According to year-end statistics, 188 building permits were issued throughout the year, up from 183 in 2021. 101 of those permits were issued for projects in the Municipality of Rhineland, and 99 in the Town of Altona. 

The value of permits taken out also increased year-over-year, coming in at around $34 million. The Town of Altona accounted for $14 million, up from $9 million in 2021, while values in the Municipality of Rhineland remained relatively level at $19 million.

A familiar face has announced plans to seek the Conservative nomination in Portage-Lisgar.

Morden-Winkler MLA and Manitoba Finance Minister, Cameron Friesen, says he plans to resign his seat in the provincial legislature in the near future to run for the federal post currently held by outgoing MP Candice Bergen. 

PortageOnline is following this story with more details to come. 

Visitation guidelines have been expanded for long-term care facilities in Manitoba, effective Monday, January 23rd.
    
According to Shared Health, the move comes as pandemic restrictions continue to loosen in light of high rates of vaccination and reduced severity of illness. 
    

Consistent growth, combined with an expanding industrial park, has prompted Manitoba Hydro to plan for a new distribution supply centre (DSC) north of Altona. 

According to the Crown corporation, the new DSC will increase reliability, improve voltage levels, and support growth in the community, including meeting demand from the Altona Industrial Park.

Council and administration for the Municipalty of Rhineland have set out five goals to work towards in the next four years. 

Reeve Don Wiebe explains, the strategic plan is the result of a process that started soon after the municipal election.

"We began with a community consultation meeting, and this took place last month at the Good Neighbour Centre in Rosenfeld where about thirty-five people from across the municipality were invited to share their impressions."

That was followed by a comprehensive survey completed by each member of Council. 

Visitation guidelines have been expanded for long-term care facilities in Manitoba, effective Monday, January 23rd.
    
According to Shared Health, the move comes as pandemic restrictions continue to loosen in light of high rates of vaccination and reduced severity of illness. 
    

Water rates are going to shoot up in 2024 for customers of the Pembina Valley Water Co-op (PVWC). The spike is part of a series of rate changes for the next five years, and look different than what the PVWC originally proposed to the Public Utilities Board (PUB). 

According to the PVWC's application, rates would increase 6% in both 2023 and 2024, and 5% in 2025, 2026 and 2027. 

Three municipalities have joined forces in an effort to create supportive housing in the Red River Valley region. 

Councils for the R.M. of Montcalm, R.M. of Morris and the Town of Morris have jointly launched a not-for-profit organization, Red River Supportive Housing - Logement Supervisé de la Rivière Rouge Inc., to move this work forward. The goal is to enhance housing, social, economic and community services in the three municipalities and surrounding area.

After two slow years during the pandemic, immigration to the Pembina Valley certainly picked up in 2022. 
    
For Regional Connections, it was a record-setting year with 1,561 people coming from other countries to live in the region then becoming clients of the organization and accessing its services. 

Today marks one year since four members of the Patel family were found just metres from the Canada/U.S border near Emerson, and investigators are using the moment to appeal to the public for tips in the case.
    
RCMP say new information that came in this past Fall about the family's travel in Canada has been confirmed, however, a gap remains between their last known location in southern Ontario on January 16th, 2022, and their arrival to Emerson on the evening of January 18th. Investigators say it is still unknown how they travelled from southern Ontario to Emerson.