LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Concerned about handing off development responsibility

Five municipalities, RM of Headingley, St. Andrews, West St. Paul, Selkirk, Dunnottar, have decided to opt out of the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region (WMR) under Bill 4.

The RM. of Springfield, according to Mayor Therrien, won’t have public input until the WMR final draft. The common concern of RMs opting out is handing over development to another layer of bureaucracy that don’t share a bond with their municipality. Each R.M. has its own uniqueness. Residents don’t want to part of a ‘melting pot.’ If an R.M. doesn’t opt out, they are committed to a 10 year membership of no control over the R.M. whose council members were elected to serve their residents. Costs of this bureaucracy over a 10 year period can’t be determined.

Public dialogue is essential now. There is an opportunity to opt in at a later date if it serves Springfield but a very short period of time to opt out. A letter with a passed resolution has to be sent to the province and approved. This process may be slow. There should be public consultation on the core question of having another layer of bureaucracy control our development.