The Manitoba government has launched a three-year pilot program partnering with seven rural municipalities and Gambler First Nation to tackle labour shortages and support economic growth in west-central Manitoba.
The West-Central Immigration Initiative aims to assist employers in meeting labour market and succession planning needs, Labour and Immigration Minister Malaya Marcelino announced today.
“Manitoba is a leader when it comes to enabling growth and vitality of communities through immigration,” Marcelino said. “Our government is proud to partner with rural municipalities through the West-Central Immigration Initiative to help local economies and communities across Manitoba grow and thrive. By working together, we’re responding to the local needs for skilled workers in rural Manitoba and ensuring Manitoba continues to be a welcoming province.”
The initiative’s partners are the municipalities of Russell-Binscarth, Yellowhead, Roblin, Ellice-Archie, Riding Mountain West, Rossburn, Prairie View, and Gambler First Nation.
A survey of 85 employers in the region estimated that 240 to 300 people will be required to meet labour needs within three years due to new jobs, replacements, retirements, and general growth.
“The Municipality of Russell-Binscarth is proud to partner with Gambler First Nation and our neighbouring municipalities to form the West Central Manitoba Immigration Initiative,” said Mayor Judy Snitynsky of Russell-Binscarth. “Through this collaborative partnership, we look forward to expanding our immigration networks and showcasing the unlimited potential that we offer for newcomers to this area of Manitoba.”
The provincial immigration division currently has three active regional immigration initiatives in Winkler-Stanley, Morden, and the Parkland region, and continues to work with other rural municipalities to develop similar programs, Marcelino noted.
Trend analysis shows an increasing number of provincial nominees are choosing to settle in rural communities—25 per cent in 2023 compared to 16.2 per cent in 2012.