Main Street Revitalization Strategy - Oakbank, MB

Sawyer Klassen, Noah Penney, Jennifer Asaim, and Ebenezer Akakpo

Project overview board for Main Street Oakbank detailing revitalization plans, sections, maps, and acknowledgments.
Infographic displaying demographic data and future projections for Oakbank.
Informational board titled “Planning, Policy, & Projects” from Main Street Oakbank with text on vision, zoning, and project recommendations, featuring zoning maps and images.
Informational board on urban planning for Main Street Oakbank, featuring maps, diagrams, and sections on recommendations and findings related to urban density and land use.
A transportation and infrastructure planning board for Oakbank, detailing current findings and future recommendations with maps, visuals, and a 3D model.
Streetscaping and wayfinding plan for Oakbank's Main Street, featuring sections on findings, recommendations, and visuals of current and proposed improvements.

Project Introduction

Economic development and the vitality of main streets in small and rural towns is an important consideration due to several contemporary factors. In many rural towns in Canada, main streets form an important traditional economic centre (Verlinden, 2016). A 2018 report published by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities found that rural towns face barriers to economic development because of population loss, particularly youth populations. The same study further identified areas of investment to shape the future of rural towns in terms of infrastructure, connectivity, housing, and community building.

Despite these challenges, rural municipalities across Canada have seen some shifts in trends since the Covid-19 Pandemic. As housing becomes increasingly expensive in Canada’s largest cities and Canada’s population sees record increases, people have turned to choosing small towns, particularly those near large urban areas as a more affordable option to call home (Hessey, 2021). For example, Markdale, Ontario, has seen an influx of new residents in recent years propelling new subdivision development and the construction of a new hospital, and leading to new business developments such as a Tim Hortons and Supermarket, as well as new businesses opening in its downtown (Hessey, 2021). These shifts have also brought ‘big city’ problems, such as increasing housing costs, to rural areas (Hessey, 2021).

Federal government programs have been initiated to aid in the revitalization of rural Canadian towns. Specific policies exist in the areas of economic development, transportation, connectivity, and housing to aid rural towns in improving their economic outlooks. There are also opportunities presented for regional cooperation to aid in the economic development of small towns. Given that rural towns near major centres have experienced significant population growth in recent years as residents move to these areas, there are opportunities for coordination to improve the balance of economic development throughout regions and to ensure the economic sustainability of rural towns.

From this baseline understanding of Main Street Vitality and Economic Development, including contemporary trends and relevant issues, this Revitalization Strategy aims to provide recommendations for improving the Main Street vitality and Economic Development situation of Oakbank, Manitoba. Additional context has been taken from guiding documents such as the Province of Manitoba’s Planning Act and Provincial Land Use Regulations, the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region’s (WMR) Plan20-50, local planning policies, as well as identified best practices, precedents, concepts, and strategies from academic and professional sources. And, the local context considered through observation and data analysis. This document aims to serve as a comprehensive strategy for improving upon the existing foundation of Oakbank’s Main Street, and ensuring it and the surrounding community are well positioned for future growth.