Niverville playing commercial catch-up to residential expansion; chamber says

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This article was published 14/03/2023 (773 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The president of the Niverville Chamber of Commerce says the recent and rapid commercial development in town is no surprise, and the community is merely responding to residential growth over the last decade.

While restaurants and businesses are closing elsewhere due to inflationary pressures and decreased revenue as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy in Niverville is continuing to grow.

Last year alone, 30 new or existing businesses joined the chamber.

“We’re seeing a lot of our members are thriving, which is exciting,” chamber president Amanda Wiens said.

Just last Tuesday, Niverville council approved three businesses to establish themselves or expand operations. New businesses include Domino’s Pizza to be opened on Drovers Run and a home-based income tax preparation service on 2nd Street South, while landscaper Mountainview Investments was permitted to expand their operations.

While some residents may groan at the addition of another pizza parlour in town, the incorportation of popular franchises like Domino’s shows the untapped potential for Niverville, Wiens said.

“I think we’re in a unique position,” she said, noting the town’s rapid growth over the last decade has left it without much competition, and businesses are now starting to see the opportunity to gain a customer base.

The town also recently approved bringing Pita Pit to the commercial park, while Smitty’s and Santa Lucia Pizza work to put the finishing touches on their buildings for openings soon.

What’s more, home-based businesses are quickly gaining popularity in Niverville as work schedules and lifestyles changed since the onset of the pandemic, Wiens noted.

“Home-based businesses come with residential growth,” she said.

The 2021 Census counted a population of 5,947 in Niverville, a 29 percent increase from 2016, making it the fastest-growing municipality in Manitoba.

Mayor Myron Dyck said the town is still waiting on a public hearing date from the province to continue their plans to annex thousands of acres of land from the RM of Hanover to accommodate future growth of the town.

While Niverville is not exempt from loss of business and financial hardship, Wiens said the town’s loss vs growth margin is sustainable and, in fact, local business growth is the chamber’s focus for this year’s annual general meeting.

Support in expanding existing businesses will be the theme of the annual meeting as staples in the community see significant expansion — including Bigway Foods and Country Snacks — and the chamber plans to work with local entities to find growth opportunities for longstanding businesses rather than see them shutter in the face of financial hardship.