Eastman committee discusses highways, healthcare and emergency response – SteinbachOnline.com

With pressing issues like transportation and emergency response on the table, leaders from 12 municipalities came together in Steinbach this week to strengthen regional ties.

The Eastman Regional Municipal Committee (ERMC), made up of mayors, reeves and councillors from across southeastern Manitoba, held its latest meeting on Monday at the new Southeast Event Centre in Steinbach. Before the meeting began, delegates were given a tour of the new facility.

ERMC was toured through the Southeast Event Centre and got a behind-the-scenes look inside the kitchen for the Forum & Bistro restaurant.

Armand Poirier, Chair of the ERMC and Mayor of the Rural Municipality of Taché, said these monthly meetings are an opportunity for municipal leaders to share ideas and collaborate on regional priorities.

“This committee is the consortium of all the mayors, reeves or representatives of the municipalities in the Eastern region of Manitoba, of the AMM Region,” Poirier explained. “We meet on a monthly basis to discuss issues that affect us all and try and find solutions so that we can get a solution that’s acceptable to everyone, and even if it only affects one municipality, it’s all about being stronger together.”

Working together on regional infrastructure

Among the recurring topics discussed at ERMC meetings are transportation, fire protection and water management.

“Highways, because we all share the same highways,” said Poirier, listing some of the region-wide concerns. “Inter-municipally, fire services is another big issue and we discussed everything from schools to hospitals to airport. All the infrastructure services that municipalities need and are responsible for.”

Councillor Jac Siemens, who represents the City of Steinbach at the committee, said it’s important for Steinbach to be part of regional conversations.

“Steinbach is affected in many different ways by what happens in Eastman,” Siemens said. “And it’s not just Steinbach alone, but these are regional issues.”

Siemens pointed to several regional transportation concerns, such as twinning of Highways 59 and 52 and the recent overlay project on Highway 12.

“One of the major ones that we first started to get involved with was the repairing of #12, the overlay project,” he said. “It was in the works already. It was on MTI’s five-year capital plan, but we kept raising it. So we’re very happy that this year it’s going.”

In addition to resurfacing and twinning projects, ERMC members also raised safety concerns about rural intersections like Highways 206 and 1, and Highways 210 and 12.

Emergency communications, health care, water

Siemens said this week’s meeting also addressed challenges around emergency communication in remote areas.

“In southeastern Manitoba, we had the fires in Woodridge, St. Labre area and Carrick, where they couldn’t alert people through the cell phone system because there was no cell system,” he explained.

While cell service is provided by private companies, Siemens said the group wants to pressure federal and provincial governments to push for improved coverage.

“We need a plan,” he said. “It’s a real concern for the RM of Piney, but that concerns Steinbach residents as well. That concerns our firefighting that we go support.”

Water management, including international drainage and flood concerns, also came up, especially in areas like Stuartburn and Franklin. Siemens said while Highway 75 is outside the committee’s geographic focus, flooding on that route affects supply chains and costs throughout the southeast.

The committee also discussed invasive species, such as waterhemp, which is spreading from the United States and is a growing concern for regional agriculture.

Building momentum through collaboration

One of the most significant achievements for the ERMC so far, Siemens noted, is the memorandum of understanding signed by all 12 participating councils. This document formalizes their partnership and outlines how they will approach advocacy and collaboration.

“Now we’re a combined force of 12 voices from 12 municipalities,” he said.

The province recently responded by appointing a cabinet office liaison — Brandon Burley, former mayor of Morden — to work directly with the ERMC.

“He understands municipal politics. He is the Cabinet Office liaison to our group now,” Siemens said. “He gives us an understanding of how the province works and who to contact at the province, and he sets those liaisons up with us.”

Siemens said this new line of communication is already yielding results.

“We had our district AMM meetings yesterday, and Mr. Simard was there, among others,” he said. “They recognize us. They’ve heard about us. And so we are getting — we feel like we’re getting some traction on some of the issues that affect Steinbach but also affect our region.”

New regional initiatives on the horizon

Among the ideas being explored by the committee is the creation of a regional library system that could serve communities across the southeast.

“We have a meeting in Niverville on our regional library — a potential lead,” said Siemens. “Now that we’ve built these relationships with other municipalities, it’s more likely they can come on board and form a regional library that will affect all of southeastern Manitoba.”

Healthcare delivery was also part of the discussion. Siemens said improving services in communities like Vita and Piney could reduce pressure on Steinbach’s medical system.

“If we can improve the health services in Vita, that will improve our health services in Steinbach,” he explained. “Because people from Vita won’t have to come to Steinbach for their health services.”

Focusing on key priorities

Although many topics are brought forward at each meeting, Siemens said the committee narrows its focus to just a few goals at a time.

“We have a lot of eggs in the basket, but what we do then at these meetings is say, ‘OK, what are the top three things we need to chase for the next couple of months?’ And that’s what we’re doing,” he said.

Reflecting on the committee’s first year, which began in June 2023, Siemens said the group is gaining credibility and finding its voice.

“It has been — we’ve gained a lot of steam and I think each meeting that we go to, it seems like we gain a little more credibility with the province,” he said. “We hear a little bit more each time.”

Poirier agreed, saying these regular meetings are helping communities learn from one another and advocate more effectively.

“The other thing is it’s important for us to be able to compare notes as to our successes and be able to share it with our neighboring municipalities,” he said. “So that they in turn can also capitalize on the certain advantages that we’ve discovered here and there along the way.”

ERMC toured the Southeast Event Centre on Monday prior to the monthly committee meeting.