Community Futures Winnipeg River, in partnership with Community Futures Triple R and CDEM (Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba), are undertaking this exciting project that will assist rural communities in Eastern Manitoba develop migration and immigration strategies so that they can attract and retain new residents to their area.

This project builds on a model developed by the Solidarité rural du Québec over the last decade, and is being supported by the Rural Secretariat (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) under the Models for Rural Development and Rural Community Capacity Building Program.

A number of information sessions are being planned that will take place in late October and early November 2007 to explain the potential opportunities that migration and immigration have for economic growth. We will be working with interested communities to analyze their demographic situations, to prepare an inventory of community resources available to support a migration/immigration strategy, to identify target markets, and to help them prepare their migration /immigration strategies.

We will also be holding the "Showcasing Eastern Manitoba" event at the Winnipeg Convention Centre on March 14-16, 2008 that will involve workshops to help communities better understand what is required to successfully attract new residents through migration and immigration, and a public showcase for our communities to promote themselves as places to live, work, and play to people who are, or might consider, relocating to a rural location.