Province unveils 72-point action plan on water strategy

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/07/2023 (808 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba has released a 72-point plan to carry out its first water strategy in two decades, with an initial focus on improving agricultural use and building infrastructure to weather the effects of climate change.

The 40-page policy document was released Wednesday morning by Environment and Climate Minister Kevin Klein at Duff Roblin Provincial Park, south of the Perimeter Highway.

The action plan aims to tackle present and future challenges and opportunities while considering the water requirements and concerns of Manitobans, the Kirkfield Park MLA said.

“We’re very fortunate to live in a province with an abundance of the world’s most valuable resource, and our government is committed to managing this resource responsibly and effectively,” Klein told a group of elected officials and stakeholders gathered near the banks of the Red River.

The province released its refreshed water strategy in November, and identified 11 priority areas, including conservation and efficient water use; biodiversity and aquatic ecosystem health; climate resilience; water infrastructure; meeting current and future demand; quality and quantity of groundwater; surface water quality; and Indigenous inclusion in water management.

It also identified best practices in water conservation and efficiency — including a new water pricing structure, rainwater capture programs, and the reuse and recycling of non-potable water — as initiatives to be considered in developing the action plan.

There are no references to an updated water pricing structure in the document.

Asked why possible changes did not make the cut, Klein said items in the action plan were chosen through collaboration with stakeholders.

“The discussions were had at the table with stakeholders,” the Tory cabinet minister said. “I was not standing there, so for me to tell you exactly what that answer is, you’re asking a question that would be of course going back… in time, that I’m not going to be able to answer or would feel comfortable answering, because the discussion and the entire plan was put together through a collaborative process.

“So, there could be input from all kinds of different sectors and stakeholders.”

An initial, five-year spending program worth $990 million will support the action plan.

It includes previously announced capital spending on 214 provincially-owned water infrastructure projects, such as the $600-million Lake Manitoba-Lake St. Martin outlet channels project; Rivers Dam rehabilitation; and improvements to the Shellmouth, Oak Lake, and Deloraine dams.

It also involves $221 million in program funding through the Sustainable Agricultural Partnership, which is cost-shared 60-40 between the federal and provincial governments. Six action items focused on reducing water use, increasing efficiency, and protecting and restoring wetlands within the agriculture sector will be supported through the partnership.

The plan also calls for a new Climate Adaptation Framework, a review of existing water use policies, a new sustainable irrigation expansion plan, and a report on pesticide concentrations at water quality monitoring sites.

Keystone Agricultural Producers president Jill Verwey applauded the government for its collaboration with farmers. The expansion of the Manitoba Watershed Districts and additional funding for its work are highlights, she said.

“A cutting-edge water strategy action plan in our province will provide longterm certainty and predictability to put Manitoba farmers at the competitive advantage.”

Additionally, the province will spend a combined $8 million to enhance the Manitoba Water Services Board, improve the water licensing portal and create a new information portal, conduct a sector-by-sector water needs study, launch a public education campaign, and enhance drinking water safety.

Several action items were previously announced by government and are underway or already complete.

“We didn’t want to wait until we had everything finalized,” Klein explained. “We wanted to start implementing everything we could as part of the action plan, this way we’re ahead of the game out of the gate, if you will.”

The province is still developing the benchmarks it will use to measure progress and a stakeholder panel will be created to guide implementation.

One measure of success will be the protection and restoration of wetlands, said the Ducks Unlimited Canada manager of provincial operations (Manitoba).

Improving compliance with the Water Rights Act through updated fines and enhanced enforcement as called for in the plan is welcomed, Mark Francis said.

“They are fairly new, those regulations, and it would be nice to see how those are working and making sure that they are protecting our resources as well as being transparent as far as keeping up with the no-net loss (of wetlands), which was the goal of the act,” Francis said.

The province said an initial progress report will be published within one year.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca