Business View Civil and Municipal | January 2021

166 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL JANUARY 2021 Springfield is also welcoming the Operating Engineers Training Institute of Manitoba Inc. (OETIM) to their permanent home in Springfield. The OETIM was established in 1986 as a joint labor and management non-profit organization to provide upgrades and training to people in the crane and heavy equipment industries. All these expanding and newly located businesses are eligible for a tax incentive program – a five-year incremental cap policy that goes from zero to 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 per cent tax refund for the municipal portion of taxes for any business locating or expanding in the RM. As the Mayor explains, “Council created the program a year and a half ago in an effort to promote our economic development and encourage commercial and industrial growth.” Mayor Fell’s council and administration has always known economic development is a very important focus in Springfield, but the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted its importance to her because “this pandemic has brought to the forefront that we need to ensure we are doing our part along with the administration to encourage economic development and move it forward, obviously with the safety of our residents as a top priority, but the more jobs we can help to create in Springfield, and create that robust economic base, the healthier we will be as a community.” Another incentive for businesses and residents is a joint venture with John Q and other capital region municipalities in a “Fibre to Farm” Keeping Springfield Safe Locks • Safes • Alarms • CCTV • Card Access Call us for all your security needs… 204-254-5299 | sales@dakotalock.ca WWW.DAKOTALOCK.CA 1051 St.Mary’s Rd, Winnipeg, Mb. R2M 3T1