Michael Blume

Municipal government officials spent some time in Brandon this week at the spring convention and trade show of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM). 

It wrapped up on Thursday and President Kam Blight says this edition of the convention was more of a networking and educational series of events. 

Several break-out sessions took place to dive into specific issues that are impacting municipalities the most. 

One issue the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) continues to contend with, and has been for several years, is increasing costs it says are mandated by the federal government on cities and towns. 

AMM President, Kam Blight, says they're lobbying for both retroactive and newer costs that he feels are becoming a frustrating trend. He noted the problem is, however, that municipalities have to tax residents to cover those costs.

For example, Blight says RCMP costs have dramatically increased over the last few years.

Gas prices are expected to go up today when the latest increase to the country's Carbon tax takes place Monday, April 1st, but that's not the only increase in gasoline prices we're going to see in the coming weeks. That from Dan McTeague, President of Canadians for Affordable Energy, who runs the gas prediction sites for many cities across Canada, gaswizard.ca. 

Gas prices are going up when the Gas Tax increase takes place on Monday, April 1, and that's not the only increase in gasoline prices that we're going to see. 

Dan McTeague is President of Canadians for Affordable Energy and runs the Gas Prediction sites for many cities across Canada, gaswizard.ca. 

The Association of Manitoba Municipalities is hard at work trying to influence Ottawa to help Manitoba communities and to realize the crippling effects of changes in how municipalities are funded. 

President, Kam Blight, explains the best funding model that local governments ever received from Ottawa was formerly known as the Gas Tax Fund, which has been renamed the Canada Community-Building Fund. It's currently being altered. He notes this source of funding is losing its benefits due to those changes, but in itself, it's still an archaic model.  

The Association of Manitoba Municipalities is hard at work trying to influence Ottawa to help Manitoba communities, and to realize the crippling effects that changes in how municipalities are funded. 

President, Kam Blight, explains the best funding model that local governments ever received from Ottawa was formerly known as the Gas Tax Fund, which has been renamed the Canada Community-Building Fund. It's currently being altered. He notes this source of funding is losing its benefits due to those changes, but in itself, it's still an archaic model.  

What if this winter had not been an El Niño special? Would the recent storms have been much worse? 

Environment and Climate Change Canada Meteorologist Natalie Hasell says there's no way to know for sure but outlines the general differences we expect to see in an El Niño winter. 

What if this winter had not been an El Niño special? Would the recent storms have been much worse? 

Environment and Climate Change Canada Meteorologist Natalie Hasell says there's no way to know for sure but outlines the general differences we expect to see in an El Niño winter. 

The president of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities is sounding the alarm about the federal government's recent announcement that it will no longer fund certain municipal road infrastructure projects. Kam Blight explains that Minister Steven Guilbeault recently shared the news.

The president of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities is sounding the alarm about the federal government's recent announcement that it will no longer fund certain municipal road infrastructure projects. Kam Blight explains that Minister Steven Guilbeault recently shared the news.