Q: Where can Manitoba get addition support for regional economic development in the case of management of growing communities?
A: Creating support infrastructure needed to sustain rural communities largely depends on the capacity of local governments. An approach like Québec’s regional pacts, would help coordinate investments into rural regions in Manitoba from as many as 11 provincial departments. Within the planning regions of Québec, stable and growing municipalities are provided an incentive to assist ‘lagging communities’ so they all benefit. Such a top-down and bottom-up approach seems promising as a possible example of a policy and program that could be implemented to support struggling municipalities in Manitoba.