December 4, 2024
Your Voice for a Wilder Future
CPAWS Manitoba commends the Manitoba government for engaging citizens in shaping the 2025 provincial budget. While addressing healthcare, affordability, and family services are undeniably critical priorities, the conservation of lands and waters must also be at the forefront of budget planning to ensure a sustainable future for all Manitobans.
We urge all Manitobans to tell the Minister of Finance that the conservation of our lands and waters must be a top priority.
Send a letter directly to the Minister of Finance to make your voice heard.
While your own words are always the most impactful, we know time is limited, so we’ve provided a sample letter that you can copy, paste, and personalize.
The Time is Now
Manitoba holds a unique position on the global stage as one of the few places on Earth with the opportunity for large-scale conservation. Just a year ago, under the leadership of Premier Wab Kinew, Manitoba committed to protecting an additional 122,000 square kilometres of its lands and waters by 2030 by working with Indigenous communities —a space roughly the size of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia combined. This commitment aligns with the global 30×30 target, which seeks to conserve 30% of the planet’s lands and waters by 2030 to combat climate change, safeguard biodiversity, and support Indigenous-led conservation initiatives.
However, achieving this ambitious goal requires immediate and substantial action. Creating protected areas is a complex process that demands years of consultation, planning, and collaboration with Indigenous communities and stakeholders. With only six years remaining, Manitoba must accelerate its conservation efforts by launching new projects, funding Indigenous conservation initiatives, and building the capacity of its Environment and Climate Change department.
Cuts made by previous administrations have left the province’s environmental agencies underfunded and understaffed. While the current government is making strides to build this capacity, new and dedicated funding for branch staff and for conservation initiatives, particularly those led by Indigenous communities, is urgently needed. These investments are not just about meeting targets—they are about protecting Manitoba’s rich natural heritage and cultures for future generations and ensuring that our landscapes continue to provide clean air, fresh water, and climate stability.
Your Voice Matters
CPAWS Manitoba urges all citizens to participate in the budget survey and advocate for funding conservation at a level that matches the scale of ambition required to reach 30×30.. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect Manitoba’s extraordinary wild lands and waters, advance reconciliation, and create a legacy of sustainability and resilience for generations to come.
We look forward to working with the Manitoba government and all Manitobans to ensure conservation becomes a central pillar of the 2025 budget and beyond.