Expert Blog Series: Churchill Mayor Mike Spence
“It’s really about creating your destiny. It’s really about creating a future, it’s all about a balance,” said Mayor Mike Spence.
Across Manitoba, conservation is shaped by the people who live, work and spend time on the lands and waters we’re working to protect. Through our Expert Blog Series, CPAWS Manitoba is sharing voices and perspectives from across our conservation campaigns, highlighting the people, places and experiences behind the work.
In this edition, we’re heading north to Western Hudson Bay, where CPAWS Manitoba has long advocated for the launch of a feasibility study to explore a National Marine Conservation Area (NMCA). Although a formal process has not been announced, we’re pleased that Parks Canada has been moving forward by meeting with communities and stakeholders to discuss the opportunity.
Our role is to help build awareness, bring people into the conversation, and support a process that considers how protecting this globally significant marine environment can go hand-in-hand with Indigenous leadership, local priorities and sustainable economic opportunities.
During a visit to Churchill in June 2026, CPAWS Manitoba Executive Director Ron Thiessen sat down with Mayor Mike Spence, a lifelong Churchillian, a member of York Factory First Nation, and business owner, to talk about his connection to the region, the balance between conservation and development, and his vision for the future of Churchill and Western Hudson Bay.
Churchill Mayor Mike Spence (left), and CPAWS MB Executive Director Ron Thiessen (right), at the Seaport Hotel, Churchill, June 2026
For Churchill Mayor Mike Spence, the future of the North comes down to one word: balance.
In a conversation with CPAWS Manitoba Executive Director Ron Thiessen, Spence reflected on Churchill’s deep connection to the lands and waters that surround it, and the importance of finding ways for people, wildlife, conservation and economic development to coexist.
“Nature is a part of life,” Spence said. “That’s the living, breathing part of who we are.”
Spence grew up in Churchill’s River Flats after his family relocated from York Factory in 1957.
“So I grew up right by the river, always cherished it. I’ve seen the harvesting of belugas, the beauty of the sunsets, the bustle of the port (the hum of all of that), birds flying in and out.”
That history shapes how he sees Churchill’s future. “You know, as we look at a National Marine Conservation Area, how do we find a balance to this? How do we continue to coexist collectively together?” asks Spence. As conversations grow around protecting Western Hudson Bay and potentially establishing a National Marine Conservation Area, Spence said conservation needs to be considered alongside tourism, industry, port operations and opportunities for northern communities. He also stressed that Indigenous communities must play a prominent role in decisions about the region. “The days of ignoring Indigenous peoples, that’s gone. We will play a political role in terms of how we move forward, and that relates to conservation. That relates to bears and managing bears and belugas.”
Spence supports exploring the feasibility of an NMCA , and said communities need the opportunity to understand both the benefits and potential drawbacks. That includes asking important questions about local jobs, infrastructure, investment and ensuring economic benefits reach Indigenous people and communities throughout the region.
“I mean one of the things naturally is, you know, what are the pros and cons, right? I mean we all wanna know that? … We share the waters, the land, and the environment together. So we’ll see how that goes. And the important part of this naturally is conservation, but what are the benefits, right? What are the jobs? Where? You know, infrastructure improvements, investments, making sure that there’s a balance to port operations.”
Looking ahead, Spence hopes Churchill can continue building a stronger community and region while maintaining the relationship between people and wildlife that has long defined the area.
“I mean, we wanna be vibrant, too. We wanna make sure that there’s a future for our children, our grandchildren, the others coming forward, the others that wanna come and invest in our community.”
Want to hear more from Mayor Mike Spence? Listen to the full audio interview or read the complete transcript here.
Learn More
Learn more about a National Marine Conservation Area in Hudson Bay
Read More about our trip to Churchill in June 2026
What is an NMCA? Learn more in our blog “A Park for the Ocean.“
Learn about Hudson Bay with some fun facts in “Hudson Bay-sics”