Our government is working with the federal government to strengthen our health-care system and adapt to the changing needs of northern Manitobans. Last week, we announced a bilateral agreement with Ottawa on home care and mental health and addiction services. We will invest federal funding of about $182 million over five years in our province’s proven home-care model, community-based support to help avoid hospitalizations and long-term care admissions, co-ordinated care for mental health and addiction services, and a pregnancy and infant-loss program, among other initiatives. The funding will build on action our Manitoba government has taken to strengthen mental health and addiction services while improving home-care services that northerners, particularly seniors, will increasingly need as our population ages.
Also last week, Jeff Wharton, our government’s Minister of Municipal Relations, announced Green Team recreation grants of $14,438 for the Boys & Girls Club of Thompson, $5,574 for the community of Nelson House, $6,400 for the Ma-Mow We-Tak Friendship Centre and $3,436 for the Thompson Zoological Society. As well, the Green Team announcements included ground maintenance and community beautification grants of $6,275 for the City of Thompson, $8,052 for the Pikwitonei Community Council, $9,482 for the Thicket Portage Community Council and $9,232 for the Wabowden Community Council.
Separately, on Saturday, April 27, RBC Training Ground is coming to Thompson Regional Community Centre to host a free, qualifying event for young athletes aged 14 to 25. RBC Training Ground is a nationwide athlete identification and funding program dedicated to finding and supporting the next generation of Canadian Olympians. At these events, athletes are assessed by national sport organizations on speed, strength, power and endurance. While hoping to discover athletes with Olympic potential, organizers also want as much participation as possible. Anyone interested in learning more can go online to RBCTrainingGround.ca. To date, the program has funded 87 “Future Olympians” while contributing more than $1.3 million to help them try to reach their Olympic dreams.
