On September 10, 2019, Manitobans will go to the polls to elect our provincial government. The province is responsible for so many important aspects of our community’s futures – local economic and enterprise development, community development, housing, social services and addressing poverty, and taking care of our environment and earth. We know that our shared movement for Community Economic Development – with local & fair local economies, no poverty, and more sustainable communities – has the solutions to tackle some of our province’s toughest social, economic, and environmental challenges.

This resource page is both to help make CED a priority this election, and to keep the community informed about developments throughout the campaign.

Platform Updates

Election Information – How to Vote

Public Policy Road Map for Manitoba’s Sustainable & Inclusive Social, Economic, and Environmental Future

Election Events

Platform Updates

Our Collective Vision is sustainable and inclusive communities directing their own social, economic and environmental futures. There are numerous promises from Manitoba’s four major political parties related to our vision for Manitoba’s social, economic, and enviromental future.

Below are some of the key highlights from each party’s platform related to the priority areas of our Public Policy Road Map. In cases where our partners have done analysis or questionnaires, we have links to that information.

Otherwise, the vast majority of the text is taken directly from the publicly available platforms of the political parties. Links to these documents can be found at the bottom of this page. At times, information was added from party’s specific announcements, press releases, and comments at public election forums and debates. We accept any corrections or additions to the information presented, though believe it is an accurate representation of key commitments written in party’s public platforms.

Social Future – Ending Poverty

For information related to party’s commitments related to ending poverty, social assistance/Livable Basic Needs Benefits, minimum wage, housing, childcare, and mental health, refer to the Make Poverty History Manitoba coalition’s platform update.

You can also watch highlights from the Hunger & Poverty Provincial Forum here.

Winnipeg Harvest also released a Manitoba Election Scorecard, available with great summary of party promises.

Economic Future

Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba

Refocus the responsibilities of the Social Impact Office to centralize and modernize various strategies including SIBs, social finance, social enterprise, and social impact procurement
Renew Manitoba’s Sector Council program to increase employer investment in training, and ensure post-secondary training is aligned with the labour market to give our students the best chance for rewarding careers
Fast track the development of Manitoba’s Skills, Talent and Knowledge Strategy. The Plan will focus on strengthening connections between industry, employers and apprenticeship and training providers
Implement a comprehensive MB job works and economic growth plan to add 40,000 jobs to the private sector
Support an employment-first approach where employment is the primary goal for working age adults with an intellectual disability
Create a new Advisory group of employers and advocates to develop the employment potential of persons with disabilities
Create a Team to Grow Manitoba including the Premier’s Enterprise Team, our Economic Growth Committee of Cabinet, the new Manitoba Economic Development Office (EDO) and our strategic partners (Travel Manitoba, North Forge, World Trade Centre) and regional partners (Communities Economic Development Fund (CEDF), Economic Development Winnipeg (EDW), Rural and Winnipeg Metropolitan Region)
Establish a new rural economic development hub, based in Brandon, to service the unique needs and growth potential of rural Manitoba
Work with industry to identify opportunities to grow investment and job creation within target sectors including agriculture, food processing, mining, forestry, transportation/logistics, manufacturing (including green innovation) and financial services
Support at least five more social impact bonds (SIB) in second term
Grow Manitoba’s community foundation network by creating a $5 million fund to permanently support the growth of community foundations through training and development, technology support, and investment management services and extend provincial participation in Endow Manitoba’s 24 Hour Giving Challenge until 2026

New Democratic Party of Manitoba

Invest in infrastructure like schools, roads, and hospitals creating 50,000 jobs
Increase small business tax threshold
Focus on smart job growth by convening an annual Tech Summit, which includes innovation and creative economy, with education leaders, entrepreneurs, and labour, to listen to the experts, and make sure we are training workers for the jobs of tomorrow
Create good jobs, bring unemployed Manitobans back into the workforce, and at the same time, meet social needs by better aligning social enterprises and government procurement
Work with industry to create a Centre of Excellence for Infrastructure Innovation
Create job opportunities for Indigenous peoples by putting Resource Revenue Sharing into a Jobs Fund for Indigenous communities
Use social enterprise as part of Manitoba Housing’s renovation and construction program to build new social and affordable housing units throughout Winnipeg, rural Manitoba, and Northern Manitoba

Manitoba Liberal Party

Create a Manitoba Business Development Bank (MBDB) that would provide investments in growth-focused Manitoba businesses, including start-ups, scale-ups, co-ops, social enterprise, and farming. It would be province-wide and available to entrepreneurs whether they are in Winnipeg, rural or northern Manitoba, or on a First Nation Economic Development
MBDB would include microfinance ($2,000-$5,000) up to larger investments in the $10-million range and provide equity investments as “patient money” over a 10-15 year time horizon, to encourage true innovation
Launching a campaign that encourages Manitobans to “shop local” at locally-owned Manitoba businesses – including stores, services, arts, culture, sports and tourism.
Enhancing Manitoba government procurement to make it easier for Manitoba businesses to sell their products and services to the Manitoba government, and for the Manitoba government to consider “community return on investment” as a factor in spending and procurement decisions, not just “value for money.”
A voluntary “Manitoba Works for Good” jobs program that would pay individuals who find themselves out of work with to do jobs in the public interest, as an alternative to EIA or basic income

Green Party of Manitoba

Offer support to businesses interested in making the transition to renewable energy
Undertake measures intended to ensure that all economic activity and its impact are both ecologically sustainable and socially just
Undertake actions to replace jobs lost during the transition away from fossil fuels with a larger amount of better, long-term employment opportunities with more social and environmental benefits
Make local industry a priority by encouraging trade that is sensible, sustainable, and ultimately beneficial to Manitobans
Support and invest in small Manitoban companies producing goods for local markets by directing government assistance toward smaller businesses, especially new and young independent entrepreneurs
Support and invest in community economic development initiatives
Support green energy construction projects that will create jobs and help transition rural and northern communities to energy independence

Tackling Climate Change

For information related to party’s commitments on tackling climate change, reducing emissions, and more, refer to the great resources below:

Wilderness Committee Manitoba Votes 2019: Candidate Survey Results

Coverage from the Forum for Our Future from Sustainable Building Manitoba

Sustainable Community-Led Development

While we assume that many of the priorities in all the party platforms will affect or include community-based organizations, they are not specifically referred to as far as we can see.

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Access

For information related to party’s commitments on the five priority disability issues from the Disability Matters Vote campaign, click here.

Many other priorities in the party platforms relate to inclusion or diversity, but aren’t specifically connected to CCEDNet Manitoba’s set of resolutions. We suggest reading through the platforms with a lens toward Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Access.

Links to Party Platforms:

Quoted text above and more information is available from Manitoba’s political party platforms, found here:

Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba

New Democratic Party of Manitoba

Manitoba Liberal Party

Green Party of Manitoba

Other Policy Backgrounders:

Make Poverty History Manitoba’s backgrounder on the six policy priority areas are here.

Check out these one-pager Voting Guide and Information Sheets, produced by the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg here.

Read this important backgrounder on issues facing newcomers & refugees, produced by MANSO (Manitoba Association of Newcomer-Serving Organizations). This backgrounder highlights key facts, issues, and questions for candidates and is intended to support facts-based dialogue on these issues.

Election Information – How to Vote

Election day is September 10, 2019

Advance Voting is: Thursday, August 29 to Thursday, September 5. More info about times & locations here.

Use CBC Manitoba’s Election Voters’ Guide for all you need to know before you vote.

Public Policy Road Map for Manitoba’s Sustainable & Inclusive Social, Economic, and Environmental Future

Unveiling the Public Policy Road Map for Manitoba’s Social, Economic, and Environmental Future

We are proud and excited to unveil the Canadian CED Network Manitoba’s newly revitalized Public Policy Road Map. Over the past two years, members have shared that our movement requires an organized articulation of our collective vision for Manitoba’s future.

These are the priorities of our Network – reimagined as a Public Policy Road Map for Manitoba’s Social, Economic, and Environmental Future. While just in time for Tuesday’s provincial election, this Road Map will guide our advocacy, organizing, and collective voice every day of the year, no matter the results on Tuesday night.

Read the Road Map here!

It is our collective belief that if Manitoba follows this Road Map rooted in a Community Economic Development vision, our social, economic, and environmental future will be stronger and our communities will be more inclusive, democratic, and sustainable.

When taken all together, the recommendations proposed in this document, while not exhaustive, represent solutions to some of Manitoba’s most challenging, interconnected issues.

As members know, our public policy mandate is the result of a democratic decision-making process. Every year, members work together to create a pragmatic, wide-ranging and solutions-focused set of public policy resolutions. This is the result.

When you go to vote on Tuesday, consider this Road Map when you make your decision. Ask your candidates when they knock on your door if they’ll support a Community Economic Development vision for Manitoba’s future. Copies of this Road Map will be sent to every elected MLA after the election.

In the coming days, we’ll be posting a party platform analysis, up against our revamped Public Policy Road Map.

Our Collective Vision is: Sustainable and inclusive communities directing their own social, economic and environmental futures.

Together, we’re focused on:

Ending Poverty
Local & Fair Economies
Tackling Climate Change
Sustainable Community-Led Development
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Access
Democracy & Directing our Own Future

Find out more information about our Public Policy Road Map.

Election Events

Previous Events:

Hunger and Poverty Provincial Forum – Tuesday, August 20th – part of Make Poverty History Manitoba’s kNOw Poverty campaign

UpForDebateMB (Gender Equality and Women’s Rights) – Wednesday, August 21

Disabilities Matters Leaders Debate – Tuesday, August 27 – part of the Disability Matters Vote campaign

Time to Talk about Public Health Care: Leader’s Debate – Thursday, August 29 – part of Manitoba Health Coalition’s campaign

Forum For Our Future: Manitoba Leaders Debate on the Environment – Thursday, September 5

More to add? Another important campaign to mention? Contact Michael Barkman, CCEDNet Manitoba Public Policy Coordinator at: m.barkman at ccednet-rcdec.ca