2007 ANNUAL REPORT ASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA MUNICIPALITIES September 1, 2006 to August 31, 2007 MISSION STATEMENT THE ASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA MUNICIPALITIES IDENTIFIES AND ADDRESSES THE NEEDS AND CONCERNS OF ITS MEMBERS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE STRONG AND EFFECTIVE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT 2 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS MEMBER MAP 4 AMM MEMBERS 5 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 6 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE 7 BOARD OF DIRECTORS & STAFF 8 EXECUTIVE 11 LOBBYING HIGHLIGHTS FEDERAL 12 FISCAL BALANCE 15 PROVINCIAL 16 SUBMISSIONS 24 LOBBY DAYS 26 SPECIAL EVENTS AMM MISSION TO EL SALVADOR 27 MRIF PROJECT UPDATE 28 PROVINCIAL-TERRITORIAL MINISTERS 29 MEMBER SERVICES AMM EVENTS 30 COMMUNICATIONS 32 MTCML 34 FINANCIAL STATEMENT 36 3 3 3 MEMBER MAP 4 4 AMM MEMBERS Urban Centres Plum Coulee, Town Coldwell Park THERE ARE 198 Altona, Town Portage la Prairie, City Cornwallis Pembina MUNICIPALITIES Arborg, Town Powerview, Village Daly Piney Beausejour, Town Rapid City, Town Dauphin Pipestone IN MANITOBA. Benito, Village Rivers, Town De Salaberry Portage la Prairie Binscarth, Village Riverton, Village Dufferin Reynolds EACH ONE IS A Birtle, Town Roblin, Town East St. Paul Rhineland MEMBER OF THE Boissevain, Town Rossburn, Town Edward Ritchot AMM. Bowsman, Village Russell, Town Ellice Riverside Brandon, City Selkirk, City Elton Roblin Carberry, Town Shoal Lake, Town Eriksdale Rockwood Carman, Town Snow Lake, Town Ethelbert Roland Cartwright, Village Somerset, Village Fisher Rosedale Churchill, Town Souris, Town Franklin Rossburn Crystal City, Village St. Claude, Village Gilbert Plains Rosser Dauphin, City St. Lazare, Village Gimli Russell Deloraine, Town St. Pierre-Jolys, Village Glenella Saskatchewan Dunnottar, Village Ste. Anne, Town Glenwood Shell River Elkhorn, Village Ste. Rose du Lac, Town Grahamdale Shellmouth-Boulton Emerson, Town Steinbach, City Grandview Shoal Lake Erickson, Town Stonewall, Town Grey Sifton Ethelbert, Village Swan River, Town Hamiota Siglunes Flin Flon, City Teulon, Town Hanover Silver Creek Gilbert Plains, Town The Pas, Town Harrison South Cypress Gillam, Town Thompson, City Headingley South Norfolk Gladstone, Town Treherne, Town Hillsburg Springfield Glenboro, Village Virden, Town Kelsey St. Andrews Grand Rapids, Town Waskada, Village Killarney-Turtle Mountain St. Clements Grandview, Town Wawanesa, Village La Broquerie St. Francois Xavier Gretna, Town Winkler, City Lac du Bonnet St. Laurent Hamiota, Town Winnipeg Beach, Town Lakeview Stanley Hartney, Town Winnipeg, City Langford Ste. Anne Lac du Bonnet, Town Winnipegosis, Village Lansdowne Ste. Rose Leaf Rapids, Town Lawrence Strathclair Lynn Lake, Town Rural Lorne Strathcona MacGregor, Village Municipalities Louise Stuartburn Manitou, Town Albert Macdonald Swan River McCreary, Village Alexander McCreary Tache Melita, Town Alonsa Miniota Thompson Minitonas, Town Archie Minitonas Victoria Minnedosa, Town Argyle Minto Victoria Beach Morden, Town Armstrong Montcalm Wallace Morris, Town Arthur Morris West St. Paul Mystery Lake, LGD Bifrost Morton Westbourne Neepawa, Town Birtle Mossey Whitehead Niverville, Town Blanshard Mountain Whitemouth Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes, Brenda North Cypress Whitewater Village Brokenhead North Norfolk Winchester Oak Lake, Town Cameron Oakland Woodlands Pilot Mound, Town Cartier Ochre River Woodworth 5 Pinawa, LGD Clanwilliam Odanah 5 5 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE n behalf of the Board of Directors of May and, in what was hailed as an O the Association of Manitoba “unprecedented example of working to- Municipalities, I am pleased to present gether”, to address the annual meeting of the 2006/2007 Annual Report. This Provincial-Territorial Ministers Responsible for past year was the ninth in AMM history Local Government in July. We used both and reflects the many activities and opportunities to focus on infrastructure and accomplishments of our organization fiscal balance – clearly our two top issues for over the past year. 2006/2007. The year’s lobbying activities were While these national lobbying activities are largely devoted to addressing the need indeed significant, a number of smaller for more infrastructure funding. We victories we claimed here at home deserve welcomed the Federal Government’s 2007 mention. This year, the Province announced it Budget announcement of a Building Canada would now cover the costs of inter-facility Fund (BCF), including the four-year extension patient transfer, resolving an issue that had “THESE of the federal gas tax program. We worked been on the AMM’s books since 1999. The VICTORIES ARE tirelessly with the Federation of Canadian successful Neighbourhoods Alive! program EVEN SWEETER Municipalities (FCM) to ensure these funds was expanded to five additional communities, BECAUSE THEY improve the state of infrastructure for munici- and communities hosting travelers stranded ARE THE DIRECT palities. Because the BCF will replace a by inclement weather can now obtain financial RESULT OF number of existing infrastructure funding assistance. These victories are even sweeter programs, we believe it will be an improve- because they are the direct result of strong, STRONG, ment, but without a detailed announcement member-driven lobbying. MEMBER- we have been left with more questions than DRIVEN We lobbied all provincial political parties answers. It is my hope that by the time you during Lobby Days in April, and watched the LOBBYING.” read this an announcement will have been Provincial Election unfold with great interest. made so that this funding can begin to flow to We congratulate Premier Doer and his govern- our members. ment on their re-election and look forward to Another top issue this year was fiscal balance, following up on the many election promises, as we continued to draw attention to the made by all parties during that campaign, that growing disparity between municipal responsi- will benefit municipalities. bilities and municipal revenues. There is On a final note, I would like to bid farewell to indeed strength in numbers, and we part- former AMM Directors Bert Lagimodiere and nered with Provincial and Territorial Municipal William Danylchuk. Their contributions to the Associations across Canada to further explore AMM were many and we wish them well in the this issue. The group hired Dr. Enid Slack to future. Thank you also goes to the rest of the develop a comprehensive report on the roles, Board for their continued dedication and hard responsibilities, resources and relationships work throughout the year. of Canada’s municipal governments with their provincial and territorial governments. Dr. Finally, my greatest thanks, as always, goes to Slack will present her findings at the AMM 9th our membership. Your support over the past Annual Convention, and her report is sure to year is truly appreciated and is what drives us form the basis of our future lobbying activities to do the important work that we do. As you toward achieving fiscal balance. read through this Annual Report, take pride in the accomplishments we achieved together The AMM also spoke out on municipal chal- during 2006/2007. You have earned it. lenges on the national stage over the past year. We were invited to present to the Senate Standing Committee on National Finance in Ron Bell, President 6 6 E XECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE t is with pleasure that I present the Execu- AMM’s way of sharing our knowledge I tive Director’s message for the ninth Annual and experience with others, and in Report of the Association of Manitoba Munici- the end, both organizations ultimately palities. benefit. It is always pleasant to begin with good news, While our lobbying activities routinely and this past year was indeed excellent in call upon us to look forward, we also terms of finances. Both the AMM and the spent some time last year reflecting Municipalities Trading Company of Manitoba on our history by initiating a very Ltd. (MTCML) continue to be strong, as special project. This project will illustrated in the financial statements on culminate in late 2008 with a com- pages 36-42. MTCML sales were strong plete “History Book” about the enough, in fact, to result in our largest mem- activities of the AMM and our predecessors, ber rebate to date - $750,000. This brings the the Union of Manitoba Municipalities (UMM) cumulative rebate total to $2.5 million since and the Manitoba Association of Urban 2002. Thanks to all of our members for their Municipalities (MAUM) over the past century. continued use of the MTCML, and to our We spent a large part of the past year commu- “WHILE OUR Official Suppliers for offering our membership nicating our plans to our members and calling LOBBYING excellent products and services at the best upon you to share your memorabilia for ACTIVITIES possible prices. possible inclusion in the book. The finished ROUTINELY CALL product will showcase the history that we all UPON US TO Another issue we spent a great deal of time share and we look forward to presenting it to LOOK FORWARD, on last year was Public Sector Accounting you at next year’s convention. WE ALSO SPENT Board Generally Accepted Accounting Prac- SOME TIME tices – otherwise known as PSAB GAAP. The AMM is nothing without its people, and to REFLECTING ON Effective January 1, 2009 all governments in that end I would like to sincerely thank our OUR HISTORY Canada, including local governments, must Board of Directors for their support over the LAST YEAR BY adopt PSAB GAAP. The AMM and Department past year. We said farewell to some directors INITIATING A of Intergovernmental Affairs undertook a joint and welcomed others, but all Board members, VERY SPECIAL venture to help municipalities adopt PSAB past and present, have made a valuable PROJECT.” GAAP, including hiring a project manager and contribution to our organization. I appreciate setting up a number of training sessions. This the opportunity to work for and with such a is an initiative of great importance to munici- diverse and dedicated group of municipal palities, and the AMM is committed to provid- officials. ing support to our members over the next year My thanks also go to our staff who have done as we approach the implementation date.