MHCA seeks investment, economic-restart talk with Schuler
The onset of the corona-virus pandemic this spring put on hold political discussion on key infrastructure policies, and it’s a good time to restart those talks, MHCA President Chris Lorenc says.
The MHCA has sent Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler a request for a meeting in the coming weeks, to put on the table a number of important items that have flowed from previous discussions, policy commitments and Manitoba’s 2020 Budget. Those issues include general capital and long-term investment plans, Manitoba’s infrastructure investment deficit and the status of major project plans.
“Minister Schuler was central to ensuring the 2020 infrastructure investment program continued, uninterrupted by the pandemic’s economic shutdown – recognizing that it is a critical public service and also that this kind of investment is an economic stabilizer in such turmoil,” Lorenc noted.
“We are not out of the COVID pandemic and the economy is still in clear need of stimulus. It is well known and acknowledged that strategic investment in infrastructure provides some of the highest rates of return on investment available for public-sector programs.”
Economic revitalization is dependent on strategic investment and ensuring that people get to their jobs and goods get to their markets in an efficient, reliable manner is key to Manitoba’s “Ready. Safe. Grow.” roadmap to recovery, Lorenc added.
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