Province says 39 municipalities merging into 19

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This article was published 5/2/2014 (1718 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

More municipalities have joined hands under the province’s mandatory municipal amalgamation process.

Municipal Government Minister Stan Struthers said in a statement today the province is nearing completion with the mergers of 39 municipalities into 19.

"By joining forces, these new, larger municipalities will reduce red tape and be better able attract more business opportunities and have better access to and co-ordination of infrastructure funding from the provincial and federal governments," Struthers said.

The province says 85 of the province’s 196 municipalities have fewer than 1,000 residents and under Bill 33 are required to submit an amalgamation plan by this spring.

Plans are expected to see a 30 per cent reduction in the number of municipalities outside Winnipeg.

The province’s amalgamation plan has not been without its bumps. The Association of Manitoba Municipalities is taking the province to court over the issue.

The province wants the newly merged municipal councils take office Jan. 1, 2015 following the next general municipal election this October.

The newly amalgamated municipalities are:

• Rural Municipality (RM) of Sifton and Oak Lake forming the new RM of Sifton
• RMs of Strathcona and Riverside forming the new RM of Prairie Lakes,
• Village of Glenboro and RM of South Cypress forming the new Municipality of Glenboro-South Cypress,
• RM of McCreary and Village of McCreary forming the new Municipality of McCreary,
• RMs of Minto and Odanah forming the new RM of Minto-Odanah,
• RMs of Langford and North Cypress forming the new Municipality of North Cypress-Langford,
• Town of Ste. Rose du Lac and RM of Ste. Rose forming the new Municipality of Ste. Rose,
• Town of Boissevain and RM of Morton forming the new Municipality of Boissevain-Morton,
• Town of Erickson and RM of Clanwilliam forming the new Municipality of Clanwilliam-Erickson,
• RM of Ethelbert and Village of Ethelbert forming the new Municipality of Ethelbert,
• RM of Brenda and the Village of Waskada forming the new Municipality of Brenda-Waskada,
• RMs of Shellmouth-Boulton and Silver Creek forming the new RM of Riding Mountain West,
• Town of Treherne and RM of South Norfolk forming the new Municipality of Norfolk-Treherne
• Town of Rivers and RM of Daly forming the new Riverdale Municipality,
• RM of Rossburn and Town of Rossburn forming the new Rossburn Municipality,
• RM of Russell, Village of Binscarth and Town of Russell forming the new Municipality of Russell-Binscarth,
• Village of Winnipegosis and RM of Mossey River forming the new RM of Mossey River,
• RM of North Norfolk and Town of MacGregor forming the new Municipality of North Norfolk, and
• RMs of Lawrence and Ochre River forming the new RM of Lakeshore.