The Town of Ste. Anne is ending 2024 on a busy note as council works toward resolving some long-term challenges.
One priority is the completion of the lagoon project, which has faced delays. Mayor Yvan St. Vincent says they are collaborating with the province and contractors to finalize the project.
“We’re in the process of working that out with the province and with the contractors to get that turned over to us so we can start operating in that new space,” he said.
Reflecting on the year, Mayor St. Vincent highlighted several accomplishments.
“The one that’s had the greatest direct impact, I will probably say, is the opening of the Co-op grocery store,” he said. “That was a huge change for our community in the sense that we’re now able to access a broader deal of grocery services that we haven’t been able to ever. We’ve always had to travel to Steinbach or Winnipeg for that kind of luxury.”
The town also made strides in recreation and infrastructure. St. Vincent noted the paving of the outdoor rink, the addition of basketball nets, and the replacement of the curling rink furnace.
St. Vincent noted that the town recently completed an arena feasibility study to determine the next steps for the facility.
“There’s work we want to do inside, where the ice sheet is, to make it more comfortable,” he explained. “It’s very, very cold in there. Unfortunately, it’s not just as simple as throwing insulation up in the ceiling. There’s some ventilation and some air exchange units and some humidifiers and dehumidifiers and everything that’s needed.”
St. Vincent said upgrades could include also include lobby renovations, though consultations with residents and stakeholders are planned before these decisions are made.
The introduction of the Ste. Anne town app and the addition of an economic development officer were other key milestones.
“We’ve added an economic development officer to the town and to our Community Development Corporation,” he said. “That’s someone who’s working hard at bringing a lot of things to the table.”
A significant cultural highlight was the installation of pioneer signs.
“We put up pioneer signs on street signs that are named after folks who were pioneers in the building of the town of Ste. Anne,” St. Vincent explained. “So, it’s been a very exciting year.”
Despite these successes, challenges remain. The hospital’s limited emergency hours and overcapacity issues have been ongoing concerns. St. Vincent stressed the need for the hospital’s regional designation.
“We’ve been lobbying hard to get our regional designation for the hospital, which would allow it to get more staffing, more resources,” he said. “Of course, keeping the emergency open 24/7 is key.”
In December 2024, a spokesperson for Southern Health-Sante Sud stated that Ste. Anne Hospital has been running at over capacity for stretches since summer.
Lorraine Cassan is Regional Lead for Acute Care and Chief Nursing Officer. She said Ste. Anne Hospital is a 21-bed facility, and at its peak, it has had 23 patients admitted. As a result, the additional admitted patients are using observation beds.
Education is another area of concern.
“We’re hoping to get a new high school in Ste. Anne. I work in the schools, they’re very, very, very crowded,” St. Vincent said. “We have about 15 huts attached to the various schools here, so there’s definitely a need.”
Looking ahead, St. Vincent also highlighted the upcoming opening of a daycare operated by Children of the Universe, which will follow the recent launch of a Francophone daycare. “Those daycare spaces have been huge for us,” he said.
-With files from Shannon Dueck.
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