MEDIA RELEASE
Winnipeg, August 18, 2020 — The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce (MCC) is pleased to formally announce the launch of the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund (MMDF), intended to jump-start mineral and economic development initiatives in the province with a specific focus on Northern Manitoba.
“The Manitoba Mineral Development Fund is up and running and we are proud to be fueling critical northern economic development,” said Chuck Davidson, President & CEO of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, the organization that administers the fund. “In spite of COVID-19’s significant economic impact, through this fund, we are able to make new and important financial investments in Manitoba’s north. We look forward to receiving and reviewing proposals through our ongoing application intake process.”
“This program plays a key role in advancing new initiatives that will benefit our economy and local communities alike, with a partnership-based approach to help grow and diversify our northern economy together with Indigenous communities,” said Blaine Pedersen, Minister of Agriculture and Resource Development. “I’m pleased to see the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce supporting and attracting new investment to Manitoba and the north by working with our mining sector.”
The Province of Manitoba provided MCC with $20 million to establish the MMDF in October 2019, with an additional annual infusion of up to six per cent of revenues to be provided under The Mining Tax Act. Under the agreement, communities and businesses, including Indigenous groups, municipalities, and the not-for-profit sector, are eligible to apply for funding. Financial assistance from the fund could include one-time grants for activities that help advance new mining opportunities and outreach to First Nations for collaborative resource development.
“Many of Manitoba’s northern communities have untapped potential in the mining sector,” said Ralph Eichler, Minister of Economic Development and Training. “The Manitoba Mineral Development Fund aligns perfectly with Manitoba’s economic development framework, including our priorities of the Look North report and the Action Plan for Manitoba’s Northern Economy.”
MMDF Program Manager, Jessica Ferris, says that successful projects, at any stage of the mineral development cycle, are those that benefit the local community and strengthen the provincial economy at the same time.
“We have built MMDF to ensure that the projects we fund are focused on relationship and partnership building in northern Manitoba,” says Ferris. “I look forward to working with organizations and communities together on meaningful projects in the north.”
The MMDF team has made significant progress since inception, including formalizing the organization’s by-laws, appointing the board of directors and application review committee members, choosing a fund management organization, and conducting outreach and initial promotion.
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To view the MMDF application process, click here.
For more information on the Look North initiative: www.gov.mb.ca/looknorth/index.html
For more information:
Jessica Ferris, Program Manager
Manitoba Mineral Development Fund
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1 (204) 891-3843
About Manitoba Chambers of Commerce
The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, established in 1931, is the umbrella organization for Manitoba’s chamber movement. With a membership comprised of 71 local Chambers of Commerce as well as hundreds of direct corporate members, the MCC is Manitoba’s largest business lobby, representing almost 10,000 businesses and community leaders. #VoiceofBusiness #PoweroftheNetwork
