February 22, 2002

The provincial government is investing $2.4 million in five locally based neighbourhood renewal corporations that are leading the revitalization efforts in key communities in Winnipeg, Brandon and Thompson.

The announcement was made today by Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Jean Friesen during a speech to the Community Economic Development Forum in Winnipeg.

Friesen said providing long-term assistance to neighbourhood renewal corporations (NRCs) helps ensure there is strong and sustained local leadership to continue the revitalization efforts in Neighbourhoods Alive! designated areas. NRCs are locally based, democratic organizations that focus on community economic development and building the capacity of their neighbourhoods.

"Addressing the physical and social needs of our neighbourhoods is important, but attention must also be paid to their economic well-being. Skills training, mentoring, business development and retention all help to build a community's capacity and ensure its well-being," said Friesen. "Community economic development is an important priority for the Manitoba government."

Neighbourhoods Alive! is one of the government's key community economic development initiatives and includes programs such as the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, training initiatives, Lighthouses after-school programming for youth and the Neighbourhood Housing Assistance program.

Since its inception in 2000, Neighbourhoods Alive! has developed partnerships with NRCs in Thompson, Brandon city centre and in distinct inner-city communities in Winnipeg. The NRCs lead revitalization efforts in their respective communities and are instrumental in identifying priorities for assistance from Neighbourhoods Alive! They are also required to formulate neighbourhood development strategies to guide revitalization efforts and identify priorities and plans of action.

Today's announcement of $2.4 million over five years will assist the five partner NRCs with core operating costs including staff, facility and office expenses.

The five neighbourhood renewal corporations are:

• The West Broadway Development Corporation, currently in its fifth year of operation, will receive $75,000 annually to sustain vital community leadership.
• The Spence Neighbourhood Association will also receive $75,000 annually to continue and enhance innovative efforts to revitalize the Spence area, with the full participation of area residents and other stakeholders.
• The North End Community Renewal Corporation (NECRC) serves Winnipeg's historic north end. These neighbourhoods include three (William Whyte, Lord Selkirk Park and Point Douglas) that are Neighbourhoods Alive! communities, and two others (Luxton and Burrows-central) that are designated under the new Building Communities partnership recently announced by the province and City of Winnipeg. Because of the large population it serves, NECRC will receive $200,000 annually to support its revitalization efforts.

• The Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation will receive $75,000 annually to continue its efforts to renew Brandon's historic city centre area. Through the leadership of the Brandon NRC, significant improvements to the neighbourhood's housing stock are already well underway.

• The Thompson Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation is the newest NRC to be formed with Neighbourhoods Alive! support, having a city-wide mandate with an emphasis on pockets of deterioration. The corporation has received $25,000 to date for start-up costs and to formulate a neighbourhood development strategy. Once the strategy is in place, the Thompson NRC will also be eligible for $75,000 in annual operating funding.

Neighbourhoods Alive! is the provincial government's long-term, community-based social and economic strategy to support and encourage community driven revitalization efforts in designated neighbourhoods in Manitoba's three largest cities--Brandon, Thompson and Winnipeg.

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