September 7, 2023
Three out of four political parties pledged to protect 30% of Manitoba’s lands and waters by 2030 in response to a CPAWS Manitoba campaign ahead of the October 3, 2023 election.
Canada has already committed to protecting 30% of our lands and waters by 2030 to help fight climate change and preserve threatened species.
But the federal government can’t get there alone. Manitoba needs to step up and do its share.
That’s why CPAWS Manitoba launched a campaign asking the leaders of all political parties in the province to put nature in their electoral platforms.
Nearly 4,000 Manitobans have signed postcards and sent emails to provincial political leaders urging them to commit to protecting 30 percent of the province by 2030 since the CPAWS public mobilization campaign was launched in May 2023.
Share your thoughts using this quick and easy letter writing tool.
Learn more on our campaign page.
CPAWS Manitoba sent a questionnaire to the province’s four main political parties to gauge their support for conservation on Aug 15.
Here is a complete record of their responses in the order in which the questionnaires were received. You may also view PDFs of their full responses here: New Democratic Party of Manitoba, Manitoba Liberal Party, Green Party of Manitoba, Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba.
Each question began by asking parties to select yes or no followed by a written response.
QUESTION 1: Will your party commit to producing an action plan that will protect 30% of Manitoba’s lands and inland waters by 2030?
New Democratic Party of Manitoba: YES
Manitoba Liberal Party: YES
Green Party of Manitoba: YES
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba: No response to yes/no question. Written response provided.
Manitoba NDP:
“The Manitoba NDP is committed to producing an action plan to protect Manitoba’s lands and waters so that Manitoba’s lakes, rivers and lands can be properly protected for future generations.”
Manitoba Liberals:
“Lake Winnipeg and its tributaries accounts for a significant proportion of Manitoba’s freshwater, along with diverse ecosystems and wildlife habitats.
The Lake has been devastated by pollution, both from runoff and certainly from the City of Winnipeg. Successive NDP and PC governments have failed to take serious action to prevent nutrient loading which has increased dramatically in the last several decades, resulting in harmful blue-green algae blooms exploding out of control and the presence of invasive aquatic species, especially zebra mussels.
For almost 20 years, the North end Water Pollution Control Centre (NEWPCC) has been the single largest source of phosphorus flowing into Lake Winnipeg. Although the province has set the phosphorus limit to 1.0 mg/L, the NEWPCC remains non-compliant. A Manitoba Liberal government will prioritize the NEWPCC biosolids facility project as a critical faculty upgrade.
We will further work with the Lake Winnipeg Foundation and water conservation districts and all stakeholders to address pollution hotspots and to develop small water control projects to enhance wetlands. We will also support the creation of “Floating Wetlands” in Winnipeg’s rivers and select waterways around combined sewer outlets to help naturally capture the excess pollution and nutrients naturally and at low cost.”
Green Party of Manitoba
“We in the Green Party of Manitoba recognize, through our Climate Emergency Foundation Policy, that the Climate Emergency must be treated as the “Emergency” that it truly is. This includes committing to protecting 50% of Manitoba’s natural spaces over the next 5 years (by 2028), surpassing the 30% by 2030 commitment by the Federal Government. This would include all of the province’s Areas of Special Interest, comprised of over 70,000 km2 (11% of Manitoba); the Seal River Watershed, one of the largest ecologically intact watersheds in the world of over 50,000 km2 (7%); and at least a half dozen other Indigenous-led conservation efforts that are underway encompassing over 60,000 km2 (10%). We would work closely with Manitoba’s Indigenous leaders, scientific experts and environmental organizations to identify other important areas of our province that merit protection. In the process, we would work collaboratively with those individuals and organizations to develop a significant public education and outreach program to communicate the importance of this work. Our Party would pledge at least $100M towards these protection initiatives, recognizing the profound value of ensuring our natural spaces remain healthy and intact for generations to come and counter the dramatic impacts of Climate Change.”
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
Like all Manitobans, the PC Party of Manitoba cares deeply about the environment and the conservation of our natural landscapes, wildlife habitat, and fisheries. We’re proud to have pioneered protections in the 1990s, and proud that over the past seven years we have designated three new provincial parks, designated the first-ever provincially significant peatlands, and signed a partnership with the federal government to plant an extra million trees every year in communities across Manitoba.
Manitoba comprises roughly 6.5% of Canada’s land and water mass, and with just over 11% already protected and conserved, we believe the province has already made great progress. This includes 93 provincial parks, 90 wildlife management areas, 30 ecological reserves, three protected areas in the City of Winnipeg, two national parks and two national wildlife areas, as well as other provincially protected forests and privately protected lands. When we set priorities to protect new lands and waters, it is essential we consider both conservation and economic needs as we guide efforts in support of Canada’s national objective.
While we believe more needs to be done to protect lands and improve the health of our waters, committing to a timeline of protecting 30% of Manitoba’s lands and waters by 2030 could harm economic development, particularly in northern communities, and disrupt various sectors across the province that rely on land use. It’s important that any aspirational targets consider people and Indigenous communities, and the need for economic reconciliation. We must both protect our environment and conserve natural areas while growing our economy and helping communities thrive.
If re-elected, the PC Party will continue to collaborate with Manitoba communities and conservation partners to protect critical habitats for polar bears, caribou, ducks, and other endangered wildlife, while also preserving essential ecosystems like our peatlands, wetlands, and forests. Our approach will focus on science-based decision-making, adaptive and shared management, and targeted conservation efforts. We will bring community, industry, stakeholders, and all Manitobans together to develop strategies that benefit the environment and conserve our natural areas. We will actively engage with efforts led by First Nation communities, such as Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas or Traditional Land Use Planning Areas, and support proposals in a way that aligns environmental progress with results for economic reconciliation.
We will also ensure the process of designating Areas of Special Interest is transparent, consultative, and based on the most up-to-date scientific assessments while including local perspectives. This will allow Manitoba to make informed decisions that contribute to land protection goals without rigidly adhering to arbitrary targets and timelines. We will work with communities and conservation partners to access federal funding available to grow our human resource capacity to help set provincial priorities.
The PC Party wants to ensure both the protection of our lands and waters in Manitoba, while ensuring prosperity for all Manitobans. We will make informed decisions that conserve natural areas while considering economic realities and respecting the rights and knowledge of Indigenous communities. By taking a flexible and collaborative approach to land and water conservation, we can achieve meaningful and sustainable outcomes for our natural heritage and our economy.
QUESTION 2: Will your party commit to a 30×30 action plan that permanently protects Manitoba’s habitat for polar bears, caribou, ducks and endangered wildlife?
New Democratic Party of Manitoba: YES
Manitoba Liberal Party: YES
Green Party of Manitoba: YES
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba: No respose provided.
Manitoba NDP:
“An NDP government led by Wab Kinew would commit to working with conservation groups such as CPAWS on research that will help us better understand wildlife and their relationship to the environment. A 30-30 action plan would help preserve existing marshes and waterways in Manitoba. A 30-30 action plan would also ensure that future development yakes into account potential impacts on wildlife and recognizes the need to preserve habitats so wildlife can thrive.”
Manitoba Liberal Party:
“It is well proven that when we repurpose our land back to its native landscape, we will begin to see not only positive effects on wildlife, but also a low-cost and highly effective process of natural carbon storage.
The federal government has committed to a 30×30 approach but Manitoba is lagging far behind. Manitoba Liberals have already committed to not only to work with all stakeholders to increase the number of protected areas in Manitoba by 30% by 2030, but also to make Manitoba the first province in the country to reach net zero in GHG emissions by 2034.
Manitoba Liberals have already introduced a bill in the Legislature to recognize ecological corridors, which allow wildlife to recover as they connect larger territories for species to roam, breed, and grow. Part of this strategy will also include significant efforts to remove invasive species which are often threatening endangered native species.”
Green Party of Manitoba
“We will commit to protecting 50% of Manitoba’s natural spaces over the next 5 years (by 2028), surpassing the 30% by 2030 commitment by the Federal Government. As mentioned earlier, this would include protecting the Seal River watershed, home to thousands of beluga whales, hundreds of thousands of barren ground caribou and countless birds. We would especially focus on protecting critical habit for polar bear, under imminent threat by Climate Change. We would support the continued work of local, world-recognized researchers who have been identifying polar bear populations under threat and approaches to protecting them. We would carefully scrutinize mining companies’ applications for exploration licenses/claims and deny any applications in the Hudson Bay Lowlands region, where female polar bears give birth and raise their cubs for almost eight months a year. As mentioned earlier, we would work closely with Indigenous leaders, scientific experts and environmental organizations on this initiative and collaborate to develop a significant public education and outreach program to communicate the importance of this work.”
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
No respose provided.
QUESTION 3: Will your party commit to a 30×30 action plan that preserves peatlands, wetlands and forests which clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, control flooding and fight climate change by storing carbon?
New Democratic Party of Manitoba: YES
Manitoba Liberal Party: YES
Green Party of Manitoba: YES
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba: No response provided.
Manitoba NDP:
“It is vital that we preserve existing peatlands, wetlands and forests. An NDP government led by Wab Kinew would introduce a 30×30 action plan that would help protect our peatlands, wetlands and wetlands for future generations.”
Manitoba Liberal Party:
“Yes. We are the only party to specifically commit to funds to support re-wilding and the creation and preservation of wilderness corridors. The effects of climate change have been devastating on our communities. Wildfires in northern Manitoba have raged out of control. Spring flooding has become more and more severe, and extreme weather events will continue to result in catastrophic losses for Manitobans across the province.
Climate change and the erosion of our natural landscapes has created a pressing need to protect and preserve these areas which have been compromised by human activity.
A Manitoba Liberal government will work with municipalities, First Nations, farmers, and other stakeholders to double the number of protected areas in Manitoba. We have committed to creating a $300-million annual green fund that will support such projects.
We will work to create wilderness corridors and restore natural habitats – forests, wetlands, and grasslands to name a few. Our priority areas for rewilding include:
- The Red River Valley
- The Red River Floodway and Extension
- The Little Saskatchewan River
We will also restore the provincially run tree nursery and seed bank to fight climate change in a way that is low cost, and naturally effective.”
Green Party of Manitoba
“We in the Green Party of Manitoba recognize the Climate Emergency for the “Emergency” that it truly is. We are running out of time and absolutely MUST preserve and protect our peatlands, wetlands and forests, as they provide the very essence for all life and profoundly contribute to our own health and well-being. We will commit to protecting 50% of Manitoba’s natural spaces over the next 5 years (by 2028), surpassing the 30% by 2030 commitment by the Federal Government. This includes those very spaces mentioned and will include a public education and outreach program, in collaboration with Indigenous leaders, scientific experts and environmental organizations. In particular, education on the importance of peat conservation and using alternatives will be essential.”
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba:
No response provided.
QUESTION 4: Will your party commit to supporting Indigenous-led conservation which will help protect 30% of Manitoba by 2030 in the spirit of reconciliation?
New Democratic Party of Manitoba: YES
Manitoba Liberal Party: YES
Green Party of Manitoba: YES
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba: No response provided.
Manitoba NDP:
“A NDP government would commit to supporting and working with Indigenous-led conservation efforts to help protect 30 per cent of Manitoba.”
Manitoba Liberal Party:
“Reconciliation is about peace and healing for past harms imposed on Indigenous peoples. Indigenous communities have often faced incredible destruction to their environment, communities, and local economies due to the actions of previous NDP and PC governments. The same hydro projects that power Manitoba’s economy and generate billions in revenue are often built on Indigenous lands with few restrictions, permits, and little to no consultation with affected communities.”
Green Party of Manitoba
“In the Green Party of Manitoba, we believe strongly that a key to reconciliation is supporting Indigenous leadership in the protection of our natural spaces. We place the highest priority on respecting and incorporating Indigenous wisdom in our policies, a prime example being our Climate Emergency Foundation Policy. We will commit to protecting 50% of Manitoba’s natural spaces over the next 5 years (by 2028), by including support for Indigenous-led conservation. This will consist of working with the Sayisi Dene First Nation in protecting the Seal River Watershed, home to their community on Tadoule Lake; with the Fisher River Cree Nation to protect the southeastern Interlake area; and over a half dozen Indigenous-led initiatives currently underway encompassing over 60,000 km2.”
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
No response provided.
QUESTION 5: Will your party complete the protection process for Manitoba’s Areas of Special Interest that will contribute to protecting 30% of Manitoba by 2030?
New Democratic Party of Manitoba: YES
Manitoba Liberal Party: YES
Green Party of Manitoba: YES
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba: No response provided.
Manitoba NDP:
“We commit to working with CPAWS and other important stakeholder groups to develop the plans and protocols necessary to help achieve our 30 by 30 commitment.”
Manitoba Liberal Party:
“Manitoba’s Areas of Special Interest were originally designated with the intent that some of the ecoregions they cover still need to be protected. These areas are critical to the protection of Manitoba’s lands and waterways and will absolutely be a necessary factor when designating 30×30.”
Green Party of Manitoba:
As mentioned earlier, we will commit to protecting 50% of Manitoba’s natural spaces over the next 5 years (by 2028), including completing the protection process for over one hundred of Manitoba’s Areas of Special Interest (ASIs), spanning over 70,000 km2. We will do this in close consultation and cooperation with Indigenous communities, environmental organizations and recognized scientific experts.
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
No response provided.