Niverville council’s May 6 public meeting began with a request for a conditional use permit by Rural Connections Manitoba Ltd, a high-speed fibre optics internet provider.

Thanks to a unanimous vote by council, the company will soon be setting up their newest location in the Niverville Business Park.

“We’ve been working off and on with a couple of [internet providers] over the last year and this is the first one who’s essentially agreed to the terms of our right-of-way access in the business park and then also the lease for the property,” CAO Eric King told council. “This will [potentially] provide high-speed internet into all the existing buildings in the business park.”

The Niverville Chamber of Commerce’s executive director, Bre-Ann Boulet, was there to provide feedback on behalf of local business.

“There are some concerns from the business park [businesses] in regard to the type of internet being put in, in regard to speed and [cost],” Boulet told council. “Right now, they’re really struggling with the providers they’re currently working with.”

Brian Stasynec from Rural Connections was on hand to speak to those concerns.

At this stage, he told council, the plan is to service only the business park within town limits unless there’s a demonstration of demand from residential areas.

“At this point, we would offer the base package of 450 megabytes for $150 and then a gigabyte is $250,” Stasynec said. “Dedicated internet is $325.”

Unlike Starlink, he added, fibre internet is not subject to weather system interference. While it takes some infrastructure installation, in the end it’s more reliable.

From their Niverville location, Rural Connections would be able to service an area within an approximate 40-kilometre radius.

“We want to service the farms and farm residences,” he said. “That’s our bread and butter, the rural houses.”

Rural Connections already has an active presence in communities like Domain, Oak Bluff, Starbuck, Sanford, and Osborne.

Niverville’s location is expected to open some time in midsummer.

“We’re increasing infrastructure to businesses to allow them to come here and thrive,” says Niverville mayor Myron Dyck.

The business park is currently one of the last remaining areas in Niverville that doesn’t have high-speed internet access. Much of the community has been able to obtain these services through either Bell MTS or Shaw.

This is true with the exception of Roselawn Bay and Edelweiss, where those larger companies have declined to run their infrastructure.

“It’s an easement issue,” Mayor Dyck says. “We have utility corridors and they can lay their wire in our utility corridor. But they’re like, ‘No, we don’t do that.’”

Fixing a Sewer Rate Deficit

During the same morning meeting, council also approved a recommendation to move forward with a sewer rate study which, according to King, will likely result in higher sewer rates for residents in 2026.

“Large capital projects that aren’t done yet make life very difficult cashflow-wise,” said King. “We met with a consultant who is an expert in rate studies. Going through a rate study process is better than us declaring a deficit [to the Public Utilities Board].”

Any way you look at it, King says that a study and rate hike is overdue. It’s been years since Niverville residents saw an increase in their sewer rates.

In part, the reason for deferral has to do with changes that are happening in the way Niverville will deal with its septic needs, primarily the construction of a wastewater treatment plant.

King is confident that every one of the six municipalities entering into the shared wastewater plant agreement will be looking at rate hikes in the coming year as well.

To increase the rates, though, requires an application to the Public Utilities Board (PUB) to do so. The PUB must then advertise the proposed rate increase in order to provide opportunity for public feedback.

Anonymous Healthcare Donation

Thanks to one community champion, Open Health Niverville are the beneficiaries of yet another large donation to assist them in their service to local residents. The donor, who asks to remain anonymous, provided the gift of over $100,000.

Councillor Nathan Dueck responded on behalf of the clinic.

“Anybody can donate to a not-for-profit and receive a tax receipt,” Dueck said. “[These donations] really advance the healthcare system in Niverville.”

Promoting Niverville

In the coming weeks, Niverville’s town council will be working hard to promote the community throughout the province. A promotional video is in the works to showcase Niverville at two upcoming events.

In early June, council members will attend the annual Manitoba Chamber of Commerce Minister’s Dinner, an event that facilitates unique connections between community leaders and key provincial cabinet ministers.

The Town of Niverville is a sponsor to this event.

“[Our goal is] to spark interest in those that may not have thought about Niverville, to become aware,” Dyck says. “It’s also about trying to keep Niverville front and centre in the minds of the reps that will be there when we’re talking about different projects.”

Days later, Mayor Dyck will be seated next to Premier Wab Kinew at an event called the Premier’s Breakfast. With approximately 2,000 leaders expected to be in attendance, Dyck says it will be a prime opportunity to promote the town.

“You’re either going backwards or you’re going forwards,” Dyck says of Niverville’s ongoing efforts to foster growth. “There is no standing still. People have made a significant investment in their businesses and homes here. If we stand still, the [property] values start to diminish. We feel we have a responsibility to make sure that people’s investments continue to grow.”

According to the provincial government’s property assessment branch, council’s efforts are working. In 2025, residential properties in Niverville saw an average 20 percent increase in value from just two years ago.