Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew met with the mayor of the Town of Ste. Anne during a visit to the community Wednesday, with the future of the Ste. Anne hospital among the key topics discussed. Mayor Yvan St. Vincent says Kinew was in Ste. Anne to meet with seniors attending a lunch at Club Jovial. The premier's office reached out to the Town of Ste. Anne to see if municipal representatives wanted to attend. St. Vincent then invited Kinew back to the Town Office for a more focused conversation about several local priorities. "He was looking for an update on our working committee for the Ste. Anne Hospital," St. Vincent says. Hospital recommendations nearing completion The working committee has been developing recommendations for the future of the Ste. Anne hospital. St. Vincent says the committee includes a large and diverse group of stakeholders and has already developed a draft of its recommendations. The group had hoped to complete its report earlier this month, but additional work was identified following its most recent meeting. The committee is scheduled to meet again in September, with the goal of sending its recommendations to Southern Health-Santé Sud, the deputy minister and the Minister of Health by the middle of September. St. Vincent says the work has been more complex than he initially expected. "The amount of work that's being done in a short period of time, it's actually quite remarkable," he says. "There are so many moving parts, so that's why there are so many experts from around Southern Health and around the province of Manitoba helping us with these recommendations." The committee is considering several phases as it looks at how the hospital can be used to its maximum potential. Related Stories: Ste. Anne Hospital regionalization effort gains momentum, report expected by August New high school back on track for Ste. Anne Ste. Anne and AMBM discuss water, healthcare, and transit priorities Water study could support growth The hospital was not the only local priority raised during the meeting. St. Vincent says the Town also wants to conduct a study into potable water in Ste. Anne. The Town currently relies on wells, which he says can be a drawback when trying to attract commercial development. He adds the Town wants to ensure it has the infrastructure needed to support future growth and economic development. Vocational school still on track The future of a new vocational school in Ste. Anne was also discussed. According to St. Vincent, Kinew assured municipal officials that the project remains on track, with the Town currently anticipating an opening in September 2028. The mayor says having the opportunity to raise these issues directly with the premier was particularly valuable. Mayor appreciates face-to-face meeting St. Vincent says municipal officials regularly communicate with provincial government representatives, but having time to sit down directly with the premier was significant. "It was phenomenal." He says the meeting gave the Town an opportunity to highlight several projects and concerns directly to Kinew, while also hearing the premier's understanding and vision for the community. The mayor says Kinew was not able to answer every question during the meeting, but indicated he would speak with provincial officials and follow up on some of the outstanding issues. St. Vincent was also pleased with the premier's interaction with seniors. "He was also very well received at the seniors luncheon," he says, adding that Kinew had a chance to go around and speak with those attending. For St. Vincent, the visit provided an opportunity to strengthen the Town's relationship with the provincial government while keeping several local priorities in front of the premier. "To actually get some face-to-face time was pretty outstanding, and we got to share with him a few things that we had on the go that we wanted to highlight for him so that he could hear it firsthand from us," he says.