The party outlined five promises for producers and rural communities
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
With the Manitoba election campaign in full swing, political parties are communicating their promises to voters.
Premier Heather Stefanon’s PC government outlined five ways a re-elected Conservative party would support Manitoba farmers.
One of these commitments includes a permanent 50 per cent reduction on agricultural Crown lands rent.
In October 2022, the government announced rent rates would be lowered for the next three years, starting at 50 per cent in 2023, 33 per cent in 2024 and 15 per cent in 2025.
Another promise is to “protect producers’ investments by fighting the federal government to find a way to compensate lessees for improvements they made if the land is claimed through Treaty Land Entitlement,” the PC party says.
A re-elected PC government also commits to lobbying the federal government to ensure more Manitoba products can get to market.
The government would seek “further exemptions under the federal labour code to protect containerized agricultural and agri-food products from labour disruptions.”
Service for bulk grain vessels already have labour code exemptions.
Another PC commitment is to triple investments for Veterinary Service Districts (VSD).
These districts provide veterinary services in 26 rural locations and are responsible for more than 80 per cent of Manitoba clinics providing large animal care.
In 2020-2021, provincial grants totaling $479,000 supported the VSD’s in rural Manitoba, a government report says.
Tripling that amount brings the total grant pool to more than $1.4 million.
And the PC’s fifth promise for farmers and rural Manitobans is to double the funding for the Winnipeg Humane Society for its One Health Program, which provides vet care in rural and underserved communities.
In June 2022, the provincial government committed $750,000 to the program.
Read what Wab Kinew and the Manitoba NDP have in store for farmers and rural communities.
The Manitoba Liberals also released their platform. Read about the promises the party made here.
Election day in Manitoba is Tuesday, Oct. 3.