June 13, 2025
CPAWS Manitoba Team
Right now, Manitoba is in a state of emergency because of wildfires.
The climate crisis isn’t some distant threat — it’s here, knocking on our door.
But instead of talking about how we curb climate change and protect the environment, the province is geared up to partner with Alberta to build a pipeline for fossil fuels.
It’s a dangerous disconnect — one that puts short-term gain ahead of long-term survival.
The summer solstice is here — the longest day of the year, when the sun reaches its peak, and we’re reminded of the natural cycles that sustain us.
In Manitoba, this season brings life into full bloom: forests bursting with green, lakes and rivers flowing freely, songbirds returning, and families heading outdoors to camp, fish, hike, and reconnect with nature.
But amid all this renewal, one essential thing is missing: a plan to protect it.
Manitoba Needs a Plan for Nature
The Province of Manitoba has action plans and strategies in place for nearly every major sector: housing, early learning and child care, economic development, education, healthcare, and extracting critical minerals, to name a few. These plans guide investments, coordinate departments, and set measurable goals.
But for the very land and water that supports every one of those sectors — there’s no plan.
None.
And that’s a big problem.
To be fair, there have been some meaningful steps. The province’s support for advancing the Seal River Watershed Indigenous Protected Area is a big deal. It shows what’s possible when governments work alongside Indigenous nations to protect nature.
But that’s not enough.
We can’t rely on scattered efforts and one-off wins.
Manitoba needs a clear and connected strategy that ties these efforts together into a comprehensive plan for the future of nature in our province.
Would You Build a House Without a Blueprint?
Imagine trying to build a house without a plan. You might get lucky for a while, but sooner or later, someone’s going to pour concrete where a garden was meant to grow, or run out of roofing before the snow flies.
Without coordination, without vision, and without foresight, things fall apart.
That’s what we’re seeing when it comes to nature in Manitoba. We have a plan for extracting resources from the land, but not for protecting the land that provides it. We’re coordinating how we grow our economy, but not how we balance it with preserving the ecosystems that keep our water clean and our climate livable.
Nature Can’t Be Left Behind
Nature is not a special interest, it’s our shared inheritance. It sustains our lives, fuels our economy, and shapes our identity as Manitobans.
Yet while government after government in Manitoba produces strategies for economic growth, it seems they’ve forgotten something crucial: without healthy ecosystems, we have no foundation to build on. Securing enough of the lands and waters that give us life requires a plan.
At a time when biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate and climate change threatens our way of life, this omission isn’t just short-sighted — it’s dangerous.
A Plan for Nature is a Plan for Our Future
CPAWS Manitoba is calling on the province to make good on its commendable commitment to protect 30% of our lands and waters by 2030 (30×30). That target is set to safeguard biodiversity, fight climate change, and ensure future generations can enjoy the same natural riches we do today.
The Manitoba government committed to producing a 30×30 action plan; however they have yet to begin this process. Since January 2024, CPAWS Manitoba has repeatedly called on the province to take action and start building the plan, but those calls have gone unanswered.
Reaching that goal requires more than good intentions — it requires a real plan. A plan grounded in science, Indigenous leadership and knowledge. A plan that ensures Manitoba’s most ecologically important areas are protected before they’re lost.
We Wouldn’t Build a Bridge Without Engineering — So Why Are We Trying to Build a Province Without Nature?
Just like you wouldn’t leave out the support beams in a house or forget to lay a foundation before pouring the walls, we can’t afford to leave nature out of the province’s vision for the future.
It’s time for Manitoba to prioritize the protection of the lands and waters that sustain us all.
Take action today. Join the over 25 thousand Manitobans that have told the provincial government it’s time to create a Plan for Nature.