Bill Ashton, MCIP, PhD Director, Rural Development Institute Brandon University, Canada

1. 16th National Metropolis Conference Session:Celebrating and building rural immigration partnerships and integrationIntegrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases Bill Ashton, MCIP, PhD Director, Rural Development Institute Brandon University, Canada March 15, 2014 Gatineau, QC With Wayne Kelly Rural Development Institute, Brandon University

2. Outline • Purpose • To understand • community approaches to rapid growth (TFWs) • govt responses to challenges and opportunities • Methods • Identify growth areas - statistical analyses • Community approaches - interviews • Validated challenges/opportunities - local workshops • Identify govt responses – multi-departmental session Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

3. Growth Areas Neepawa Region Neepawa Minnedosa Gladstone Winkler Region Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

4. Winkler and Area Demographics 34% growth 63% growth 27% growth 19% growth Winkler’s growth rate hits 10%/yr Immigration Program Renamed SCSES to reflect regional focus Winkler’s growth rate hits 17%/yr Winkler’s growth rate hits 15%/yr 2004 1998 1997 SOURCES: 2001, 2006 & 2011 Statistics Canada Census Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

5. Neepawa Region Demographics 2008- Springhill farms just outside of Neepawa purchased by Hytek Ltd. SOURCES: 2001, 2006 & 2011 Statistics Canada Census Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

6. Community Participation Winkler Region Neepawa Region Stakeholder Interviews 10 10 9 15 Validation via local workshops Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

7. Community Workshops Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

8. Challenges and Opportunities • Demographic challenges due to (significant, rapid) growth • Policy issues due to growth Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

9. Winkler Region Demographic Challenges 36% Of households have children in Winkler (2006) 8% more than MB 23.5 Median age in RM of Stanley (2006) 14.6 years younger than MB median age 22% less income for families with children compared to provincial average ($14,300 less after tax) 209 students Schools in Winkler average around 400 students – current growth 0f 200 new students per year requires a new school every 2 years to keep pace 7 Obstetrics/Birthing beds insufficient for new demographics in region 8% Fewer rental homes in Winkler than provincial average SOURCES: 2006 Statistics Canada Census, Winkler Chamber of Commerce (http://www.winklerchamber.com/immigrationintro.html), Garden Valley School Division (http://www.gvsd.ca/images/stories/Aboutus/community_report/GVSD_Community_Report_August_2010.pdf) Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

10. Winkler Region Demographic Challenges “Our biggest challenge … [is our] ability to accommodate the huge influx of immigrant families, they came with big families that resulted in over crowding of the schools” “We’ve seen a real jump in real-estate, which you know…looks like a great thing, but it comes with a lot of cost that people don’t always see like we do…. we see kids without lunches that are living in a nice house” “Let’s say birthing as an example, we had smaller families, traditionally in the area, … We did have the requirements for birthing facility…. newcomers they have larger families and they also have more children…that has put stress on the birthing capacity at the hospital.” PHOTOS COURTESY OF: Regional Connections, City of Winkler, Boundary Trails RHA Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

11. Winkler Region Policy Challenges “the province is doing a phenomenal job of recruiting and promoting province. People interested in immigrating to Manitoba, but they come to our area – now we have stress on infrastructure –and no assistance to help alleviate that stress. Those people that the province is attracting are now getting caught in the middle.” 1200 Students in school designed for 700, community has to address gap “there are huts all over the place.” The area does not seem to put a lot of emphasis on integration - it is viewed as a long term issue. A number of participants said to just “give me the children and these problems will not exist in the future” 43.7% Of survey respondents in a 2011 Morden community survey (n=245) indicated they would use inter community transportation services regularly 7% of RM Stanley residents do not speak an official language (2006) “If one [community] has [something] the other [community] seems to think they need it.” SOURCES: Winkler Chamber of Commerce (http://www.winklerchamber.com/immigrationintro.html), Garden Valley School Division (http://www.gvsd.ca/images/stories/Aboutus/community_report/GVSD_Community_Report_August_2010.pdf ), Town of Morden (http://www.mordenmb.com/town/docs/2011-CommunitySurveyResults.pdf), Town of Altona (http://altona.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/RPGA-Planning-District-Development-Plan-FINAL-Nov-2011.pdf ) Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

12. Neepawa Region Demographic Challenges Introduction of the second shift will bring close to 500 new immigrants to the area 20 people immigrated to Neepawa from 1991 to 2006. From 2008- 2012 there have been 800 new immigrants Rent has increased from $250 to $900 a month for a one bedroom apartment In 2006 everyone in Neepawa knew how to speak either English or French. Now Korean, Ukrainian and Filipino immigrants with little or no English. SOURCES: 2006 Statistics Canada Census Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

13. Neepawa Region Demographic Challenges “We have been a small town for so long we don’t know how to grow” “The demand for housing has driven prices up. Greed has played into the picture” “We’ve gone from a senior place to younger families; and the biggest reason is the hog plant in town, Hylife” Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

14. Neepawa Region Policy Challenges “Annexation takes three years and we need housing yesterday” “Right now next five years looking at long term planning, we know there’s $44 million required to just meet what has been thrust upon us. We have no way of funding it.” “Need more economic diversification in the community, away from Hylife and reliance on that company. The community is scared stiff that the company will close.” “Number of services that are not working together all that well because funding from different agencies and branches of government.” [one service provider] I heard her say how frustrating it was. She would say, ‘they come in and don’t speak a lick of English we’re suppose to serve [the immigrants], they want us to adapt to them more than they adapt to us, sort of a thing… “Neepawa has been a very white Caucasian community before.” “The opportunities have been thrust upon us by the increased number of immigrants brought in to work at the Hylife pork processing plant.” Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

15. What Was the Response … Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

16. Growth Challenges in Regions Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

17. Multi-departmental Meeting Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

18. Multi-departmental Meeting Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

19. Integration - Options • Integrating Multiple Departments – Organizational / Structural Options • Interdepartmental planning committee (Plan Act) • Special project coordinator (Churchill) • Direction of Premier, Cabinet • Integrated Community Adjustment (internal, external) Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

20. Access to Publications • Reports are Online • Rural Development Institute > Publications > Rural Immigration & Migration • http://www.brandonu.ca/rdi/publications/rural-immigrationrural-migration/ Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

21. Thank you!Questions?

22. Long-term Recommendations • Neepawa and Area Recommendations • Plan improvements to housing-related infrastructure • Related Provincial Resources for long term planning • Re plan improvements to housing related infrastructure – identified that there is a lack of clear policies related to residential development in municipal/planning district development plans Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

23. Collaboration Recommendations • Winkler and Area Recommendations • Hire a Liaison • Become a rural voice • Work as a unit • Provincial Resources for Collaboration • Re liaison – Provincial municipal support services can be accessed and current specialists exist for community and economic development • Re rural voice – suggested to share their stories at AMM conference • Re working as a unit – Identified cooperative development support and Manitoba Housing stated they are looking to develop relationships Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases Neepawa and Area Recommendations Change of hours of operation Collaborate with Hylife

24. Health Recommendations • Winkler and Area Recommendations • Hire new midwives • Neepawa and Area Recommendations • Improve service delivery • Ask Manitoba Health to do data entry • Provincial Resources for Health • Re hire new midwives – identified an expert resource at Manitoba Health, identified federal funding for midwifery training • Re improve service delivery – identified a contact person at Manitoba Health, identified process for hiring Nurse practitioners • Re asking Manitoba Health to do data entry – suggested communities should get in touch with Manitoba Health about immunization database and health information Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

25. Housing Recommendations • Winkler and Area Recommendations • Increase housing stock • Neepawa and Area Recommendations • Increase quantity and quality of housing stock • Increase community administrative capacity for housing development • Provincial Resources for Housing • Re housing stock and community capacity to develop housing – identified a MAFRI guide to developing housing; also identified that Manitoba housing is wanting to connect with communities around housing studies and discussions Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

26. Transportation Recommendations • Winkler and Area Recommendations • Develop transportation • Neepawa and Area Recommendations • Develop inter-regional transportation plan • Provincial Resources for Transportation • Re local transportation options - transportation plans can be developed with Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

27. Integration Recommendations • Winkler and Area Recommendations • Diversity training • Host family or mentorship program • Neepawa and Area Recommendations • Increase community diversity training • Increase training/orientation for new immigrants • Provincial Resources for Integration • Re diversity training - Identified a new program that provides a pool of diversity trainers – ‘The Diversity and Intercultural Training of Manitoba Start’ • Re host family and training for new immigrants - Interpreter training is available and guides for house buying are available Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

28. Business/Economic Recommendations • Neepawa and Area Recommendations • Diversify the local economy • Related Provincial Resources for Business/Economic • Re diversifying the local economy – identified that there are local MAFRI economic development specialists in the region Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases

29. Education Recommendations • Neepawa and Area Recommendations • Offer flexible EAL courses • Related Provincial Resources for Education • Re offering flexible EAL courses – identified that Manitoba Education provides funding for EAL programs to school divisions and Immigration and Multiculturalism is developing language training programs Integrated Responses to Fast Growth with TFW: Two Manitoba Cases