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Minister's Message
The twenty-three isolated communities scattered throughout the east side region continue to depend on expensive air transport and unreliable seasonal winter roads to travel and bring in essential supplies and services. For this reason, east side residents have long called for an all-season road to link their communities with the provincial road network often taken for granted by other Manitobans. Building an east side road represents one of our best opportunities to improve life on the east side by reducing transportation costs for food, goods and people, improving access to vital services such as healthcare, and fostering greater economic development and tourism opportunities for local people. As the Minister responsible for the East Side Road Authority, it was my great pleasure to have recently announced on behalf of the Government of Manitoba that we are moving forward with the construction of an all-season road network on the east side as part of the East Side Transportation Initiative. As this process moves forward, our government remains committed to working with all east side communities to ensure that local people benefit from construction. As a result, a number of Community Benefits Agreements have already been signed ensuring that jobs, training and economic opportunities flow to local communities. As the long held dream of an east side road becomes a reality, we look forward to working with local governments, elders and residents to build opportunities that will leave a lasting legacy for our children. Sincerely, Eric Robinson |
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The east side of Lake Winnipeg is a unique region of Manitoba encompassing hundreds of pristine lakes and rivers within one of the largest and last intact tracts of boreal forest in the world. This special place is home to 34,000 Aboriginal people whose ancestors have lived off the land for thousands of years, sustained by a natural abundance of plants and animals that remain largely uncompromised to this day.