Civil Municipal - May 2025

“For most people in our municipality, it’s the closeness to all amenities that makes it attractive,” says Mayor Debbie Fiebelkorn. “We’re very rural in some areas, while other areas are more compact and residential. We also have substantial cottage country within our boundaries.”This geographic diversity has positioned St. Clements as a regional leader, with its incorporation dating back to 1884. The region’s rich history continues to shape its identity today. “We had the railway coming through here many years ago, bringing people to the roundhouse when immigrants were arriving,” notes Fiebelkorn. “We have the Dynevor Old Stone Church, one of the oldest Anglican churches in Western Canada.” This historical foundation anchors the municipality’s modern approach to governance and development. A MUNICIPALITY OF DISTINCT COMMUNITIES St. Clements’ unique geography creates a tapestry of interconnected yet distinct communities, each with its own character and development needs.“We have four major settlement areas which help provide services,” explains Deepak Joshi, the municipality’s Chief Administrative Officer. “Lockport and South St. Clements are closest to Winnipeg and have higher density in some areas. We border the river that connects through it, and we’re connected by the Lockport Historical Dam—a significant structure that bridges us to our sister community of St. Andrews on the other side.” The municipality’s geographic diversity ranges from East Selkirk, which Joshi describes as “almost urban, situated opposite to the city of Selkirk across the river,” to smaller communities like Libau, “a smalltown hamlet scenario.” Perhaps the most distinctive are the eastern beaches of Lake Winnipeg, with Grand Marais as the major settlement area surrounded by numerous beach communities along the shoreline. These settlement patterns challenge traditional approaches to municipal services. Unlike more compact urban centers, St. Clements must deliver infrastructure and amenities across a vast territory while maintaining local character and meeting diverse community needs. “We are part of a regional planning group called the Red River Planning District,” notes Joshi. “There are five communities—St. Andrews, West St. Paul, East St. Paul, St. Clements, and Dunnottar—that are all part of this planning district.” At the local level, St. Clements employs secondary plans and tax incentive financing to guide development in specific areas.“We’ve instituted tax incentive financing for upgrading infrastructure,” Joshi states. “This helps increase density while providing a more walkable and safer community. 195 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 05 RM ST. CLEMENTS, MB

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