Numerous articles and studies have remarked on the incredible residential growth Niverville and the surrounding area has experienced over the past decade. We see it in our overcrowded schools, the extensive waiting list for daycare facilities, and in the number of new homes being built year after year.
Our community is now nudging 5,000 residents, and when we include our catchment area the population is around 10,000. The current pace will see this community become the next city in the province of Manitoba—when our population hits 7,500—and these figures will grab the attention of entrepreneurs looking for expansion opportunities, including national chains. Niverville is on the cusp of experiencing the kind of commercial growth many of us have long expected.
Some people feel that as we reach that population milestone, we can expect businesses to line up for the opportunity to open their doors here. If only it were that easy. There are many obstacles to overcome before people will take the risk to start businesses in our backyard.
The recent news of a grant from the federal and provincial governments to expand town water to our business sector is a step in the right direction. It is important for Niverville to have defined pricing for the cost of bringing town water, sewer, fiber optic cable, and other key amenities to the emerging commercial areas. The more unknowns there are in a business plan, the more speculative the risk becomes, and the less likely it will be for an investor to select our community as a place to do business.
Our proximity to Winnipeg is a double-edged sword. Being a relatively easy drive to the Perimeter Highway is one of the reasons we have experienced a population boom. The problem, from a local business standpoint, is that many new residents continue with their buying habits in Winnipeg rather than encouraging similar products, services, and pricing closer to home.
Even with the challenge of competing with Winnipeg, local businesses have the opportunity to thrive. Commercial land and lease rates will typically be lower here than in Winnipeg. From a resource standpoint, a number of households in Niverville have double incomes, and many of these families would relish the opportunity to have at least one member of the household work locally to save on commuting costs. This results in a strong demand for local jobs and a highly skilled pool of candidates who will not require as hefty a salary as is needed in the Winnipeg market.
Ultimately, we stand to gain much more in the commercial sector. The key to our success in the coming years will be determined by how well our business leaders, politicians, investors, and residents can work together and focus on achieving a common goal for this community. If we can do this, 2016 may very well be the year Niverville begins to experience the business growth that many of us have been waiting for.
