Whether it's roads and bridges or simply a decent cell signal, Keystone Agricultural Producers says the future Manitoba government needs to invest in better rural infrastructure.

Over the past year, KAP launched its 'Our Roads Suck' campaign, calling on Manitobans to submit roads in the province needing attention. After reviewing submissions, KAP president Dan Mazier feels there is no rhyme or reason as to which roads the government decides to improve.

"Some roads got fixed, some roads didn't. Some roads are in worse repair than when (the province) started. Some roads are crumbling a year after they've done work on them," says Mazier. "So what we're asking for is basically a transparent plan, a focus where the public can say what's a priority for their area, and sit down with the province and have sort of an annual review on infrastructure."

Mazier says this would be a more holistic approach to solve Manitoba's roadway issues so taxpayers don't have to turn to campaigns like the KAP and CAA worst road searches in order to see an improvement in infrastructure.

Highways aren't the only problem under the rural infrastructure umbrella, however. As many rural Manitobans know, cell phone and broadband Internet service can be spotty or nonexistent in less populated areas, which becomes a problem in emergency situations in remote areas.

KAP is pushing the future Manitoba government to do something about digital infrastructure in rural communities. Mazier says while the service itself is a main issue, an overarching problem is that there's nowhere for Manitobans to turn when dealing with inadequate service.

"We just put up with it in Manitoba," he says.

Mazier says there's no one in Manitoba with a vision or a plan.

"We seem to keep on going on to Ottawa to figure out what we want to do in Manitoba," he says. "When we have bad cell phone or Internet service — or worse yet, when we're paying for (service) and not getting it — who do we turn to?"

KAP's election priorities document calls for the future Manitoba government to "publicly commit to supporting a goal of all Manitoba households being able to access a minimum of 25 Mbps broadband Internet service by 2020," and to "work with municipalities and the federal government to establish a fund to build additional cellular towers..."

KAP is also calling for more focus on provincial research investment, environmental support, and incentives for young people in the industry. The full election priorities document is available on the KAP website.