2015 Manitoba municipal amalgamations

none February 2026 The Municipal Amalgamations Act Legislative Assembly of Manitoba C.C.S.M. c. M235 2nd Session, 40th Legislature September 13, 2013 September 13, 2013 Minister of Local Government Bill 33 The Planning Act current The 2015 municipal amalgamations in Manitoba was the result of new legislation (Municipal Amalgamations Act) in the province that required a minimum population threshold of 1,000 people in order to incorporate a municipality. To meet this new threshold, Manitoba's smaller municipalities—those with a population of less than 1,000—merged with one or more neighbouring municipalities by 2015.Manitoba's Municipal History: Municipal Amalgamations (2015) http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/municipalities/amalgamations.shtml 2021-02-08 www.mhs.mb.ca Background In 1997, the Government of Manitoba established a minimum population threshold of 1,000 in order to incorporate a municipality.https://www.gov.mb.ca/thronespeech/thronespeech_2012.html Speech from the Throne: At the Opening of the Second Session of the 40th Legislature of the Province of Manitoba Government of Manitoba November 19, 2012 October 5, 2014thumb|250px|alt=Map showing locations of all of Manitoba's municipalities before the 2015 municipal amalgamations|Before amalgamations: 197 municipalities thumb|250px|alt=Map showing locations of all of Manitoba's municipalities after the 2015 municipal amalgamations|After amalgamations: 137 municipalities As of the 2011 census, 93 of the 197 municipalities in Manitoba had populations less than 1,000.http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/hlt-fst/pd-pl/Table-Tableau.cfm?LANG=Eng&T=302&SR=1&S=51&O=A&RPP=9999&PR=46&CMA=0 Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2011 and 2006 censuses (Manitoba) Statistics Canada May 28, 2012 December 23, 2012 In 2012, the Manitoba government announced that municipalities would be required to amalgamate in order for them to meet the minimum population threshold and make them more sustainable communities moving forward. Soon after, The Municipal Amalgamations Act was enacted in 2013, requiring that municipalities with a population less than 1,000 amalgamate with one or more neighbouring municipalities by 2015.http://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/statutes/ccsm/m235.php The Municipal Amalgamations Act (C.C.S.M. c. M235) Government of Manitoba October 2, 2014 October 5, 2014 The provincial government justified such by arguing that amalgamation would be more efficient and would increase capacity for economic development, thereby strengthening Manitoba's rural communities.Manitoba http://sorc.crrf.ca/manitoba/ 2021-02-08 State of Rural Canada en-US Between 2013 and 2014, regulations under the Act would amalgamate 107 municipalities (65 rural municipalities, 25 towns, and 17 villages) into 47, effective 1 January 2015. These amalgamations therefore reduced the total number of municipalities in the province from 197 to 137. Despite having populations less than 1,000, two municipalities—the Rural Municipality of Victoria Beach and the Village of Dunnattor—were exempted from the requirement to amalgamate due to their uniqueness as resort municipalities.http://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?archive=&item=18831 Government listens to presenters, amendments proposed to Municipal Modernization Act: Lemieux Government of Manitoba September 11, 2013 October 5, 2014 The provincial government also allowed some new amalgamated municipalities to form with a combined population under 1,000.https://issuu.com/fbcpublishing/docs/140219200822-c5ac847c8c944fd29314e83674aa0577/28 The music is just starting The Manitoba Co-operator (via issuu) 20 February 2014 25 July 2020 Criticism Bill 33 (the Amalgamations Act) received considerable pushback, primarily by the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM).Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development. 2013 September 9. "Hansard vol. LXV No. 8." 2nd Session, 40th Legislature, Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. Among others, concerns regarding amalgamation included the deadline of 1 January 2015, which was seen as too short to complete the process; the arbitrary nature of the proposed population threshold; and questions over administrative and financial efficiency. In court, the AMM argued that the province ought to have allowed voluntary participation in amalgamation; however, the case was overturned. Speaking before the Standing Committee on Social and Economic Development of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba in September 2013, the AMM president, Doug Dobrowolski, made the following argument:457Our members have expressed many concerns since the Province of Manitoba announced its intentions to force amalgamations. Although some members support amalgamation and some do not, it is our position that the decision to amalgamate should rest...with the municipal government and its residents. The AMM is not opposed to amalgamation. What we are opposed to is forcing our members to choose a path that may not be right for their community. Beyond the forced aspect of this bill, our members have numerous other concerns. First, the proposed timeline of January 1st, 2015, is unreasonable. We believe successful amalgamations occur at a pace that is comfortable for all parties, including the citizens of the affected municipalities. Forcing amalgamation is undemocratic and forcing them within a tight time period causes additional unnecessary stress on everyone involved. The bill does allow the minister to extend the timeline for amalgamation to a date no later than January 1st, 2019, as long as the amalgamation plan has been submitted by the deadline specified. However, we believe there is little potential for flexibility in this bill; it is completely at the discretion of the minister. Furthermore, we believe that the use of 1,000-citizen threshold to determine who must amalgamate is not only an artificial number, but an inaccurate one. We are aware of the many municipalities currently under this population that function at a very high level. We're also very concerned with the proposed elimination of the public input through the Municipal Board. Although the bill states that amalgamating municipalities must provide a reasonable opportunity for members of the public to comment, there is no requirement to involve the Municipal Board. The bill does not mention what would happen if members of the public are opposed to amalgamation. Finally, although Bill 33 includes provisions to initially keep all policing arrangements the same despite any amalgamations, the AMM has concerns about how it will work in practice. Where one amalgamating municipality has its own police force or is policed by the RCMP, a new arrangement will have to be made within three years. If a new arrangement is not made after the three years to have one police service for the amalgamated municipality, the minister will enter into an agreement with the RCMP to provide policing for that municipality....While the municipalities are now larger as result of amalgamation, governing bodies are still challenged in curtailing population decline, and encourage growth. List of amalgamations New ruralmunicipalityConsolidated Regulations of Manitoba: Regulations under 'The Municipal Amalgamations Act' https://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/regs/index.php?act=m235 February 7, 2021 Government of Manitoba Merging ruralmunicipality(s) Merging town(s) Merging village(s) Pop. Population(2011)http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/92f0009x/2015000/t/xlsx/92F0009XIB2015000_T1_Can.xlsx Interim List of Changes to Municipal Boundaries, Status, and Names, From January 2, 2014 to January 1, 2015 – Table 1 Changes to census subdivisions in alphabetical order by province and territory (with 8C and 9C) Statistics Canada XLSX May 27, 2015 May 30, 2015 Pop. Population(2006) Change (%) Landarea(km2) Pop. Populationdensity(per km2) Bifrost – Riverton Bifrost Riverton 3514 3509 0.1 1643.69 2.1 Boissevain – Morton Morton Boissevain 2270 2215 2.5 1092.65 2.1 Brenda – Waskada Brenda Waskada 652 748 -12.8 766.77 0.9 Cartwright – Roblin Roblin Cartwright 1240 1246 -0.5 718.01 1.7 Clanwilliam – Erickson Clanwilliam Erickson 901 940 -4.1 352.08 2.6 Deloraine – Winchester Winchester Deloraine 1485 1571 -5.5 727.83 2.0 Ellice – Archie ArchieEllice St. Lazare 971 1018 -4.6 1153.33 0.8 Emerson – Franklin Franklin Emerson 2439 2457 -0.7 975.62 2.5 Ethelbert Ethelbert Ethelbert 629 695 -9.5 1136.97 0.6 Gilbert Plains Gilbert Plains Gilbert Plains 1623 1594 1.8 1051.80 1.5 Glenboro – South Cypress South Cypress Glenboro 1483 1467 1.1 1097.76 1.4 Glenella – Lansdowne GlenellaLansdowne 1245 1267 -1.7 1263.43 1.0 Grandview Grandview Grandview 1508 1575 -4.3 1156.29 1.3 Grassland CameronWhitewater Hartney 1480 1481 -0.1 1345.85 1.1 Grey Grey St. Claude 2615 2592 0.9 960.29 2.7 Hamiota Hamiota Hamiota 1288 1260 2.2 575.76 2.2 Harrison Park HarrisonPark 1799 1815 -0.9 977.58 1.8 Hillsburg – Roblin – Shell River HillsburgShell River Roblin 3284 3375 -2.7 1688.2 1.9 Lakeshore Ochre RiverLawrence 1401 1430 -2.0 1297.23 1.1 Lorne Lorne Notre Dame de LourdesSomerset 3006 3024 -0.6 911.85 3.3 Louise Louise Pilot Mound Crystal City 1932 1849 4.5 938.21 2.1 McCreary McCreary McCreary 948 963 -1.6 524.39 1.8 Minitonas – Bowsman Minitonas Minitonas Bowsman 1816 1917 -5.3 1202.31 1.5 Minto – Odanah MintoOdanah 1177 1207 -2.5 743.9 1.6 Mossey River Mossey River Winnipegosis 1186 1242 -4.5 1125.56 1.1 Norfolk Treherne South Norfolk Treherne 1741 1816 -4.1 733.99 2.4 North Cypress – Langford LangfordNorth Cypress 2627 2689 -2.3 1761.87 1.5 North Norfolk North Norfolk MacGregor 3762 3663 2.7 1160.89 3.2 Oakland – Wawanesa Oakland Wawanesa 1618 1568 3.2 577.47 2.8 Oakview BlanshardSaskatchewan Rapid City 1513 1595 -5.1 1148.09 1.3 Pembina Pembina Manitou 2369 2430 -2.5 1117.7 2.1 Prairie Lakes StrathconaRiverside 1423 1536 -7.4 1062.9 1.3 Prairie View BirtleMiniota Birtle 2167 2232 -2.9 1696.13 1.3 Rhineland Rhineland GretnaPlum Coulee 5772 5469 5.5 958.69 6.0 Riding Mountain West Shellmouth-BoultonSilver Creek 1390 1404 -1.0 1622.55 0.9 Riverdale Daly Rivers 2019 2061 -2.0 570.42 3.5 Rossburn Rossburn Rossburn 1046 1060 -1.3 682.78 1.5 Russell – Binscarth Russell Russell Binscarth 2553 2469 3.4 572.5 4.5 Sifton Sifton Oak Lake 1172 1159 1.1 770.84 1.5 Souris – Glenwood Glenwood Souris 2439 2412 1.1 581.22 4.2 Ste. Rose Ste. Rose Ste. Rose du Lac 1794 1786 0.4 628.56 2.9 Swan Valley West Swan River Benito 2923 3144 -7.0 1720.39 1.7 Two Borders AlbertArthurEdward 1310 1400 -6.4 2304.46 0.6 Wallace – Woodworth WallaceWoodworth Elkhorn 2857 2852 0.2 1969.32 1.5 West Interlake EriksdaleSiglunes 2206 2391 -7.7 1622.18 1.4 WestLake – Gladstone LakeviewWestbourne Gladstone 3068 3050 0.6 1832.09 1.7 Yellowhead Shoal LakeStrathclair 1973 2075 -4.9 1110.72 1.8 See also Manitoba List of municipalities in Manitoba List of rural municipalities in Manitoba Amalgamation of Winnipeg Association of Manitoba Municipalities Secession from Winnipeg by the RM of Headingley Elsewhere in Canada 2000–06 municipal reorganization in Quebec 2002–2006 municipal reorganization of Montreal 2023 New Brunswick local governance reform Amalgamation of the Halifax Regional Municipality Amalgamation of Toronto Edmonton annexations References 30em Further reading Ashton, William, Wayne Kelly, and Ray Bollman. 2015. "Municipalities amalgamate in Manitoba: Moving towards rural regions." Manitoba Law Journal 38(2):123–51. Macaulay, Andrew, Andrei Friesen, and Sheri Grift. 2016. "Collaborative Planning in Action," Case-in-Point. Faculty of Architecture, University of Manitoba. Miljan, Lydia, and Zachary Spicer. 2015 July. "De-amalgamation in Canada." Fraser Institute. Lambert, Steve. 2013 December 11. "Manitoba Sued By Municipalities over Forced Amalgamation." Globe and Mail. External links Manitoba's Municipal History: Municipal Amalgamations (2015) Manitoba's Municipal History: Manitoba Communities Category:Manitoba law