December 15, 2006

LORETTE, Manitoba - Manitoba''s rural and northern communities will soon benefit from 15 infrastructure projects that were jointly announced today by the Government of Canada and the Province of Manitoba. The 15 projects received over $22 million in funding through the Canada-Manitoba Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF).

The announcement was made by the Honourable Ron Lemieux, Manitoba Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation, and The Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, on behalf of the Honourable Carol Skelton, Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic Diversification.

"These green infrastructure projects are good news for rural and northern Manitobans," said Minister Lemieux. "The projects here in southeastern Manitoba are important to the area''s growing population and economy."

"Canada''s New Government is delivering on its promise to improve our communities and environment," said Minister Toews on behalf of the Honourable Carol Skelton, Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic Diversification. "Today''s announcement will provide safe drinking water and sound environmental practices, which are critical for the future economic development of rural and Northern Manitoba

While details of these two local initiatives were announced today, other projects will be revealed by Minister Toews and a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba at events held throughout the province over the next week. The approved projects focus largely on green infrastructure for water and wastewater systems throughout the province and one broadband connectivity project.

In Lorette, Minister Toews and Minister Lemieux spoke specifically of the two water projects for Manitoba''s southeastern region, which received $6.3 million of the total $22 million MRIF funding announced today.

These two projects and the others, which will be discussed in more detail over the upcoming week, are based on recommendations from the MRIF Rural and Northern Federal Provincial Local Consultative Committee (FPLCC) and result from applications received under the third and final rural and northern project application deadline of June 15, 2006. The FPLCC consists of local government representatives from the Association of Manitoba Municipalities and the Northern Association of Community Councils. The FPLCC was created to provide input in the MRIF project selection process.

"The AMM is pleased to be a part of a successful partnership bringing much-needed infrastructure investments to Manitoba communities," said Ron Bell, AMM President. "The two projects being announced today are critical to the water quality in this area, and all 15 projects being funded will have a lasting environmental benefit to the communities involved. I look forward to seeing more funds dedicated to this crucial program in the future."

"All 15 projects being announced through MRIF reflect NACC''s recommendations to the FPLCC for project approvals by the federal and provincial governments," said Reg Meade, NACC President. "Improvements to water systems are a vital condition to creating sustainable communities in rural and northern Manitoba."

The Canada-Manitoba MRIF is investing a total of $120 million in communities across Manitoba. Eighty percent of the program funding is earmarked for communities with a population under 250,000, including 198 municipalities and 50 unincorporated Northern Community Councils in rural and northern Manitoba.

The remaining 20 percent is allocated to communities with a population of more than 250,000. More information on Canada and Manitoba infrastructure projects is available at http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca.

-30-

---

Backgrounder
Rural and Northern Infrastructure Projects - http://www.gov.mb.ca/asset_library/en/newslinks/BACKGROUNDER.doc