Leave your hiking boots behind- you won’t need them on this trail!  

Poutine Trail Manitoba has returned, an event put on by CDEM.  

CDEM is the Economic Development Council for Manitoba’s bilingual municipalities, working in a variety of sectors including business services, community economic development, employability, immigration, youth, and tourism.  

Businesses, communities, municipalities, and entrepreneurs can benefit from CDEM’s work. Desirae Rambow is the Tourism Development Officer with CDEM, and her passion for her work is evident.  

“We have lots of Francophone communities, and there’s so many great businesses and entrepreneurs within those communities. It’s more about finding resources and reaching out to those communities to show them that we’re there to support them, we’re here to help them with whatever they need.” 

One of CDEM’s tastiest recurring events is running right now.  

“We figure it would be a great time to relaunch the initiative! We have five restaurants on board this year, and they’re all super excited,” says Rambow.  

Poutine Trail Manitoba was launched four years ago, with only two seasons to its name.  

Starting up in 2017, the initiative was well received in its first and second years running, but stowed away their gravies and cheese curds for another day during the worldwide pandemic. Rambow expresses concern regarding the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the service industry.  

“This will hopefully get people out into these communities, and just help these restaurants get some promotion, get some feet in the door.”  

Poutine Trail Manitoba runs August 17th to 31st. Restaurants involved are Chicken Chef in Lorette, Lucky Luc’s Bar & Grill in St. Pierre-Jolys, Timberline Restaurant in Richer, Putter’s Grill in La Broquerie, and Big Al’s Burger in Notre Dame de Lourdes. Each establishment has put together a unique dish with toppings and seasonings of their choosing.  

“We wanted to keep it pretty standard to a classic poutine, but allowing these restaurants to put a twist on it,” Rambow clarifies.  

“Standard” in no way means flavourless, as the restaurants listed above are advertising chorizo, tourtière, perogies, and smoked meat as a few of the toppings on their own individual creations, all with a goal of complementing the classic French-Canadian dish.  

Poutine partakers are encouraged to visit each of the five restaurants, snap a selfie with their 'Frankensteined' fries, and submit it on the CDEM’s Bonjour Manitoba Facebook page for a chance to win a prize!  

Learn more about Poutine Trail Manitoba by following Bonjour Manitoba on Facebook and Instagram, and at www.poutinetrail.com.