Mayor hopeful after stalled annexation request finally getting a public hearing

It’s been nearly one year since the town of Niverville announced its proposal to annex land from the RM of Hanover. 

The plan has been in front of the Manitoba Municipal Board for the past 11 months, and this past week, the mayor received notification that a Public Hearing would take place regarding the annexation request.  

Dyck says, “We got a letter saying that the government is going to hold a Public Hearing. Although there’s no dates on the annexation proposal.”

Last November Steinbachonline reported that both municipalities had joined together in the application process of moving about 2,600 acres of mostly farmland, from the RM of Hanover jurisdiction to the town of Niverville.   

At the time, Niverville Mayor Myron Dyck noted this was due to the fact that they were the fastest growing town in Manitoba and would have all their existing available land absorbed in the next 15-20 years.  

Dyck notes there was no formal opposition to the proposal, however there were some concerns.  

"So, the Municipal Board thinks it best that those concerns are at least heard in the formal process.” 

Which, he says is what they, as a council, had asked for, that if there was even one objection or if there were any concerns, “I would like that person to be heard and their concerns answered. So, we've requested that, we just weren't sure if they were going to honor that, and now they are.” 

Dyck tells us what happens after the Public Hearing with the Municipal Board. 

“Then they’ll decide, No, you don’t get anything, Yes, you get everything or something in between.” 

He notes they were also notified that Manitoba Infrastructure was making plans to visit the area. 

“And we’re wondering, when Hanover and council sat down (last year), we’re trying to do this shared corridor, right? So, we were trying to decide where the dividing line should be between our two municipalities. And maybe Hwy 59 will come up at the Public Hearing, and maybe they’ll say we can’t have that land because they’re twinning the highway? I mean, we’d all love to hear that, but right now, we’re just guessing why MIT is checking out that area. It’s kind of like they’re dangling a carrot. We’ll see.”