The Town of Niverville has officially left the Winnipeg Metro Region.

“Niverville is very much looking forward to what Bill 48 will be,” says Mayor Myron Dyck which he sums up as having “to deal with making different regions of the province more congruent in how they deal with land use, zoning, and other matters.”

He cites common interests with the Village of St. Pierre and the RMs of Hanover and De Salaberry in twinning Highway 59, as well as their projected wastewater treatment facility with the RMs of Ritchot, Tache and Hanover again, as benefits to doing business nearby.

“We joined the Winnipeg Metro Region to kind of see,” says the Mayor, “it was a reconnaissance mission if you will.”

In the end, the Council found that in being a fringe community they had some similarities to municipalities surrounding the capital city however, the commonalities were less than they had with their rural neighbours.

“When we did the expansion of our water facility, that was in conjunction with the RM of Hanover,” explains Dyck.” “The wells that provide water to Niverville are actually by New Bothwell.”

The four-year term with the Winnipeg Metro Region actually expired last fall with the finalization of it being described as “more of a formality” by the Mayor.

That said, Dyck is happy to have done “a bit of housekeeping” and says “as far as our new regional planning, we would look to the province for leadership and we very much look forward to working with them in that regard.”