Carman council finalized a new Vehicles for Hire bylaw and received updates on infrastructure planning, pilot projects and economic development during its regular meeting on Dec. 2.
Council gave second and third readings to By-law 2093, formally establishing regulations for vehicles-for-hire operating within the community.
Chief Administrative Officer Susan Stein said residents are unlikely to see immediate changes unless they require inter-community taxi service.
“Residents will not see much of a change unless they require a cab to go from one location such as Carman to Winkler/Morden/Boundary Trails,” Stein said. “Currently they do not offer point to point service in Carman.”
She added enforcement would be complaint-driven. “Enforcement would be done by By-Law Commissionaires if required.”
Council also reviewed a draft agreement related to the proposed Carman Dufferin East Sewer extension. Stein said the next steps rest with the Rural Municipality of Dufferin.
“The RM will finalize engineering plans and then proceed with public consultation with their residents and businesses affected,” she said. “The Town and RM would proceed with the formal agreement and the RM could then proceed with the project.”
An update was also provided on the town’s Golf Cart Pilot Project, which was discussed at the fall Association of Manitoba Municipalities convention. Stein said the AMM passed Carman’s resolution supporting local decision-making.
“The Association of Manitoba Municipalities passed the resolution brought forward by the Town to allow golf carts, and so they will not lobby the Provincial Government for changes to allow communities to determine for themselves if they want to have the option of golf carts,” she said.
She noted further steps are still required at the provincial level. “The community would need to pass a by-law to allow for carts with specific requirements. We are currently waiting on the Province and MPI. MPI will need to make changes to their regulations in order for the pilot project to proceed. We have been told this will take some time.”
As part of the CAO report, council discussed the Industrial Park bylaw tax incentive. Stein said the program is already supporting new development.
“The by-law began in 2024 and currently there is one new business in the Industrial park that has received the tax incentive,” she said. “They will receive it for an additional two years.”
She added the incentive is intended to ease financial pressure during a critical period for new businesses. “The strategy is that when a business is starting there are often financial constraints and this would help them when they are starting off in a crucial time.”
Council approved committee reports and received several information items, including notices on emergency alerts, community grants, provincial funding programs and local initiatives
