RMA was pleased to host the Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) on June 26th. During the visit, Minister Olszewski announced that PrairiesCan will invest $176 million to support community infrastructure across the Prairies. The first call for proposals is now open and accepting submissions until July 17, 2026.
Following the announcement, RMA members participated in a roundtable discussion with Minister Olszewski and PrairesCan staff. Broadly, the topics covered were as follows:
- Infrastructure deficit: The core infrastructure deficit hinders members’ capacity to deliver services and invest in community-based infrastructure. RMA’s concerns regarding core infrastructure can be reviewed in detail here.
- Workforce attraction and retention: Challenges retaining residents and attracting newcomers is exacerbated by scarcity of services such as healthcare and family services.
- Cost of amenities: Community amenities can add value to local communities and attract economic growth. However, amenities can be costly to develop and maintain and may produce added cost pressures, such as bylaw enforcement or restoration of natural areas.
- Application barriers: Rural municipalities struggle to compete with larger centers for funding. Funding streams may benefit from a revised definition of “rural” to ensure that rural and remote communities can meaningfully contend for grant funding.
- Flexible program design: Rural communities work together to achieve the greatest impact, but initiatives may be organized differently than in urban environments. Funding program design should be adaptable to allow for funding to be received by joint initiatives, non-profit entities, and local community groups striving to improve their communities.
RMA thanks the Minister and PrairiesCan staff for the opportunity to engage and looks forward to seeing the positive impacts of projects funded through this program.
For more information, contact RMA’s Policy and Advocacy Team at advocacy@rmalberta.com or 825.319.2383.
