Dawson Trail Dispatch
Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!
March 2025
RTM Daycare Grants Totaling Millions More Don’t Tread Than Actual Building on Thin Ice Replacement Value
The total provincial investment in these daycare facilities is more than double the insured value of the buildings. With 22 daycares built and a generous average of insured value of approximately $2.5 million each, total physical building infrastructure is $50.6 million. If a conservative average grant of $5 million was awarded for each daycare that means over $100 million was earmarked where half of that is being questioned to whether the value was there. Source: Province of Manitoba
By Dan Guetre According to a few of the municipalities who were awarded grants to have JQ Built provided daycares setup in their communities the actual insurance appraised values are, in most cases, worth millions less than the Provincial grants awarded, sometimes more than half their worth. The RM of Hanover was awarded $5.7 million from the Province and in the end, committed $295,000 from their municipal reserves. They signed up, after it was recommended, to have JQ Built, a branch of John Q Public manage the project to build the Happy Hive Daycare in Kleefeld and Pretium Projects as the construction contractor.
It is noteworthy to mention that while the overall project exceeded $6 million with the majority of the funds coming from the Province, the building has been valued at only $2.3 million by the municipal insurance broker. A question they and a few other municipalities are asking is how a building that their insurers say will only cost $2.3 million in replacement cost actually cost Provincial taxpayers an additional $3.7 million. “The value of $2.3 million is for the building only, basically covering the costs to ‘rebuild the same facility from the ground up, in the same spot, same Continued on Page 3...
If you enjoy winter activities out on the ice, keep these safety tips in mind: - Check the weather and avoid going on the ice on warm or stormy days. - Before you leave shore, tell someone of your destination and expected time of return. - Do not go onto the ice alone or at night. - Test ice for thickness and stability. It may be thick in one location, but thin only a few steps away. As ice conditions change throughout the year, it can become cloudy or rotten. ‘Rotten’ ice has frozen and thawed repeatedly, making it fragile and unsafe. - Never snowmobile, walk, snowshoe, crosscountry ski, skate, or ice fish near hydroelectric generating stations. The ice can be dangerously thin and unstable, even if it appears solid. - Be wary that ice can weaken at access points near boat launches and snowmobile trails as salt, sand, and gravel are tracked in. - Avoid unfamiliar paths and ice that forms near streams, bridges, and culverts. Bogs can trap air pockets and pressure ridges can pull apart - exposing open water. - Carry ice picks, rope, & ice poles and be sure your mobile phone is fully charged. - Wear a floatation suit or lifejacket whenever you are on the ice. It could save your life. - Avoid vehicle travel on ice whenever possible. - Never use a portable propane heater in an ice fishing shelter or any enclosed space, as deadly carbon monoxide gas may result. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and ensure there is proper ventilation. Visit hydro.mb.ca/safety for more information.