Public consultation on MB economic development plan
Public consultations on a province-wide economic development strategy have begun.
On Thursday, the Manitoba government launched a public survey to gather feedback about policies needed to bolster productivity, investment and innovation.
Consultation has been ongoing through the Premier's Business and Jobs Council over the past 14 months. Economic Development Winnipeg, the Business Council of Manitoba and Manitoba Chambers of Commerce have been tapped to gather perspectives from business leaders.
The voices of Indigenous communities, labour and municipalities are also being accounted for, a government webpage for Manitoba's economic development strategy says (engagemb.ca).
It says the incoming document is an 'enduring roadmap to enhance Manitoba's productivity and competitiveness,' leading to higher wages and per capita income.
The survey will be open until May 20.
— Free Press staff
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Sun
5 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
GOLDSTEIN: Prepare for more billion-dollar boondoggles
Reports by financial watchdogs of government spending suggest there are major concerns about how public infrastructure projects will be approved Get the latest from Lorrie Goldstein straight to your inbox Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks as he attends a tour of the Fort York Armoury in Toronto on June 9, 2025 in Toronto, Canada. Photo by Cole Burston / Getty Images What happens when Prime Minister Mark Carney's promise of massive new federal spending on public infrastructure and speedy approval of 'nation building projects' runs into the fact the federal public service routinely ignores the rules for spending public money and approving such projects? This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The answer, potentially, is the waste of mega-billions of public dollars on projects that are so poorly administered, some may never be completed. The issue isn't the policies themselves. Carney's Liberals and the official opposition Conservatives agree with streamlining the process for green-lighting projects such as pipelines, mines and other forms of energy infrastructure, if they are endorsed by the province and Indigenous groups where they occur. That was evidenced by their rapid approval of Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act on Friday, before Parliament adjourned for the summer. Liberals and Conservatives passed the legislation intended to boost the Canadian economy given the damage caused by President Donald Trump's tariff war and the fact the U.S. is no longer a reliable trading partner or ally of Canada. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The legislation is now headed to the Senate, scheduled to sit until June 27, for final approval before Canada Day on July 1. Read More But recent reports by Parliament's two financial watchdogs of government spending – Auditor General Karen Hogan and Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux – suggest there are major concerns about how these projects will be approved. Hogan reviewed the Liberal government's approval of the notorious ArriveCan app that was supposed to cost $80,000 and ended up costing about $60 million, as well as 106 other professional services contracts awarded by 31 federal departments and agencies and one Crown corporation to IT staffing firm GCStrategies Inc. from 2015 to 2024. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. They totalled up to $92.7 million – of which, $64.5 million was paid out. Hogan found a widespread failure within the federal public service to follow the rules in awarding these contacts intended to ensure taxpayers get good value for money. She said the same thing happened when she examined 97 contracts awarded by 20 federal departments agencies and Crown corporations valued at $209 million, with $200 million paid out, to management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, from 2011 to 2023. 'I said it back then and I'll repeat it now – I have no reason to believe this is unique to two vendors and that's why I believe the government needs to take a step back and look at why this is happening,' Hogan warned. Hogan took the unusual step of not making any recommendations on her findings, saying the problem isn't a lack of rules but the federal bureaucracy ignoring them. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In a separate report, Hogan estimated the cost of replacing Canada's aging fleet of CF-18 fighter jets with 88 new F-35s, increased by almost 50% within two years – from $19 billion in 2022 to $27.7 billion in 2024. In addition, another $5.5 billion will be needed for infrastructure needed to make the new jet fighters fully operational, because the government relied on outdated data and failed to develop contingency plans for managing financial risks associated with the project. She also noted a long-standing shortage of trained fighter pilots. In a report released Thursday, parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux said because Carney has delayed the federal budget until fall, he can't determine whether his claim he will balance the federal operating budget by 2028-29 is credible. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Nor can he determine whether Carney will achieve his commitment to increase federal spending on defence to the NATO target of 2% of GDP this fiscal year, and whether the government's overall financial plan is fiscally sustainable. In his election platform Carney's outlined $130 billion in new spending over four years with total deficit spending of $224.8 billion. That's 71% higher than the $131.4 billion in deficit spending the Trudeau government predicted during the same period last December. The problem, Giroux said, is that Carney is claiming he can balance the operating budget, the cost of running the government, within three years, while financing new capital spending on infrastructure with more public debt. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'There is no commonly accepted definition of what is defined as 'operating' or 'non-operating capital' spending,' Giroux wrote, meaning he 'is unable to assess whether the government's recent policy initiatives presented in Parliament … are consistent with achieving its new fiscal objective … This means the government could achieve its fiscal objective and yet be fiscally unsustainable.' Unless the federal government addresses the concerns of the auditor general and parliamentary budget officer, expect for more billion-dollar boondoggles of the type we've seen so often in the past. lgoldstein@ Columnists Toronto & GTA Columnists Toronto & GTA Sunshine Girls
Cision Canada
11 hours ago
- Cision Canada
Statement by Minister Valdez to mark National Indigenous Peoples Day Français
OTTAWA, ON, /CNW/ - The Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism), made the following statement: "Today, I join communities across the country in celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day. "This is a time to honour the rich histories, vibrant cultures and enduring contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. From coast to coast to coast, we celebrate the strength, resilience, and leadership of Indigenous communities. "Today, more than 50,000 small businesses are majority-owned by Indigenous entrepreneurs. Indigenous-led businesses are fuelling economic growth and uplifting communities across the country. "In 2023 alone, Indigenous tourism operators generated an estimated 34,700 jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity. These numbers tell a powerful story of resilience and innovation and highlight the vital role Indigenous businesses play in our tourism economy. "As Minister of Women and Gender Equality, I am committed to supporting Indigenous-led efforts to end gender-based violence. Through the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence and the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ Peoples, our government is working in partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities to develop policies and fund programs to end the national crisis facing Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. This work is essential to healing, justice and safety for Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, wherever they live. "Our government is deeply committed to advancing reconciliation and to building lasting partnerships with Indigenous Peoples by supporting entrepreneurs, fostering economic opportunity and building an inclusive economy that leaves no one behind. Stay connected Follow the department on . For easy access to government programs for businesses, download the Canada Business app.
Cision Canada
a day ago
- Cision Canada
House of Commons passes One Canadian Economy Act Français
OTTAWA, ON, June 20, 2025 /CNW/ - Canada's new government has a mandate to build big, build bold, and build now. Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, welcomed the passing in the House of Commons of Bill C-5, One Canadian Economy Act. The legislation will build one strong Canadian economy by: Removing federal barriers to internal trade and labour mobility, helping goods, services, workers, and businesses move freely across provinces and territories. Expediting nation-building projects that will connect and transform our country and unleash economic growth while ensuring environmental protections and Indigenous rights are upheld. Working with Indigenous Peoples through consultation and engagement to build shared prosperity. Taken together, these measures will create and connect Canadians to good-paying careers and more prosperity. The Prime Minister shared an update on this work with the premiers of the provinces and territories during their meeting earlier today. The leaders agreed to stay in close contact as they reinforce Canada's strength at home. Indigenous partnership is a critical component of this legislation, and fulsome consultation will be pivotal to the success of future projects. The Government of Canada is committed to respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples recognized and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 and the rights set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. To this end, Prime Minister Carney will be meeting with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis over the coming weeks. Bill C-5 now moves to the Senate for consideration and brings us one step closer to removing federal barriers to free trade by Canada Day. Quotes "Today's passing of Bill C-5, One Canadian Economy Act, will remove trade barriers, expedite nation-building projects, and unleash economic growth, with Indigenous partnership at the centre of this growth. It's time to build big, build bold, and build now. As Canadians, we can give ourselves more than any foreign nation can ever take away." — The Rt. Hon. Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada "The adoption of Bill C-5 by the House of Commons is a crucial step in building one Canadian economy and getting big projects built faster. Thank you to colleagues who supported this legislation – you are helping build a stronger Canada." — The Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy "This legislation is about building a stronger, more united Canada. Let's build trust, tear down internal trade barriers, and create one single economy – from coast to coast to coast. Together, we're building a stronger Canada, for everyone." — The Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Transport and Internal Trade "I am pleased to see the One Canadian Economy Act achieve this milestone. This Act means we are no longer asking 'Why build?', but instead 'How do we get it done?'. We are removing barriers, leveraging Canada's resources and talented workers, centring Indigenous consultation and equity, and continuing to fight climate change – all to get building and to become an energy superpower. In the new economy we are building, Canada will be defined by delivery, not delay." — The Hon. Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources "Indigenous Peoples' voices are at the table where discussions are happening, and decisions are made. This government understands that Indigenous Peoples have the right to determine their future. As the first Indigenous Minister of Indigenous Services, I understand the importance of relationship moving forward – and I am pleased to see the Prime Minister has determined this as a priority and a critical part of the work ahead." — The Hon. Mandy Gull-Masty, Minister of Indigenous Services
