The federal government is giving $4.37 million to a group that wants to help rural Manitoba in light of major changes in government policy.
Jon Gerrard, secretary of state for Western Economic Diversification, handed over a cheque for the first half of the funding last week to Les Jacobson, chair of the new group.
“I wanted to hang on to it but the bankers wanted to keep it,” said a visibly delighted Jacobson, who turned the cheque over to bankers immediately.
The group is known as the Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council. It will have somewhat of a free rein with the money, which comes from an adaptation and rural development fund within Agriculture Canada’s budget.
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The provincial government may also give the council some funding.
Governments will appoint two rural people as non-voting members of the board of directors.
Ed Tyrchniewicz, who sits on the council’s board of directors, said the group will help pay for projects which:
- Tell rural Manitobans about development opportunities.
- Teach entrepreneurs how to export value-added products.
- Teach computer skills to “agro-preneurs.”
- Help First Nations entrepreneurs get involved in developments.
Tyrchniewicz said one in four children in rural schools has a First Nations background. He said the group traditionally has been disadvantaged.
Focus on rural areas
“We’ve got a social issue that we’ve been ignoring,” he said, explaining the group is concerned with the economic, social and environmental health of rural Manitoba.
The group could consider funding projects such as a business plan looking at bringing natural gas into the Interlake region, or work with the Parkland region on tourism ideas.
Jacobson said when rural leaders first met two years ago to talk about setting up a council, they didn’t expect to get this kind of funding.
But they found out about Agriculture Canada’s fund last year and lobbied to get it.
He stressed the group will facilitate new developments rather than pay for them.
The council “hasn’t got a crystal ball on a whole bunch of different new ideas,” he said.
“What we’re going to work with is the ideas that are out there already and help foster them.”
While $4 million is a considerable pot of money, Jacobson noted a water treatment plant for a rural community can cost $3.5 million.
“Mega projects for our council are basically out.”
