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Manitoba

Last Updated:

April 2023

Population:

Population: 3.61% (1)

Area:  6.14% (2)

Current majority government:

Premier: The Honourable Heather Stefanson, Progressive Conservative (3)


Number of Members of Legislative Assembly in MB: 57

  • Progressive Conservatives: 35 

  • New Democratic Party : 18 

  • Liberal: 3

  • Vacant: 1

Find your Member of the Legislative Assembly: here.

Environmental stance of majority party:

Even though the federal government has a carbon pricing plan, the Manitoba government wants to design its own, localizing control over carbon. New premier Heather Stefanson is working with the federal government to determine how Manitoba should be investing funds generated from carbon pricing (4).

Percentage of 2020/2021 budget estimated to be allocated to the environment:

Total 2023-2024 Estimated Budget: $21,877,000,000

Total 2022-2023 Estimated Spending: $20,961,000,000


Environment and Climate Change:

  • Estimated Budget for 2023-2024: $140,000,000 (0.63% of the budget)

  • Estimated 2022-2023 Spending: $105,000,000 (0.50% of the budget)

  • $35,000,000 projected funding increase from 2022-2023 to 2023-2024


Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations:

  • Estimated Budget for 2023-2024: $39,000,000 (0.17% of the budget)

  • Estimated 2022-2023 Spending: $37,000,000 (0.18% of the budget)

  • $2,000,000 projected funding increase from 2022-2023 to 2023-2024


Natural Resources and Northern Development:

  • Estimated Budget for 2023-2024: $156,000,000 (0.71% of the budget)

  • Estimated 2022-2023 Spending: $141,000,000 (0.67% of the budget)

  • $15,000,000,000 projected funding increase from 2022-2023 to 2023-2024 (5).

Main provincial-level legislation for environment protection:

The Climate Change and Emission Reductions Act (2007): 

  • Address climate change, encourage and help Manitobans reduce emissions, set targets for reducing emissions and promote sustainable economic development. (6)


The Ozone Depleting Substances Act (2008):

  • An Act designed to restrict and reduce the release of ozone-depleting chemicals into the atmosphere, as well as the harmful effects of these substances (7).


Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan (2017):

  • Includes climate action in the transport sector including retrofits such as fuel-saving devices, as well as the use of a carbon savings account to meet a GHG reduction goal for 2018-2022. (8)


The Sustainable Watersheds Act (2017): 

  • Established to keep track of water quality, provide incentives to farmers who adopt practices that restore wetlands and retain water, and increase penalties for illegal drainage. (9) 


The Climate and Green Plan Act (2018): 

  • Programs and policies to reduce GHG emissions and address the effects of climate change, promote sustainable development, improve management and protection of Manitoba’s water resources, and preserve the province’s natural habitat. (10)

Specific government-based environmental programs:

As a component of the Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan, the provincial government has committed to a formal national review of climate and carbon pricing policies, resulting in a progress report for the first five years of the Manitoba Savings Carbon Account period (2018-2022) (11). The province’s goal within this first five-year period was to have their total carbon emissions by 1 megatonne less than the predicted emissions level for that period (12). We are currently waiting on the intended target for the next five-year period (2023-2027).


Waste Reduction & Recycling Support Program WasteWise: 

  • Began in 2009, established to encourage sustainable waste management and improve rates of waste diversion. In October 2022, it was announced that the Manitoba government is investing $8.7 Million in the program to support development of a circular economy and reduce GHG emissions through support for waste diversion initiatives (13). 

Next election date:

The next election date is still scheduled to be on or before October 3rd, 2023 (14).

Fun Facts:

Manitoba is the first jurisdiction in North America to establish an economy-wide carbon savings account. (15)


The government of Manitoba has been fighting the federally-imposed carbon tax since it was put in place, and has introduced their own carbon tax that will be in effect as of July 2020. (16)


Reduced and thinning sea ice in Hudson Bay negatively impacts indigenous traditions, seals, and polar bears. (17)


Climate change is causing simultaneous increases in flood risk and drought conditions, both of which are disruptive to the key driver of Manitoba’s economy, agricultural production. (18)


The disastrous 2011 flood cost taxpayers at least $1.2 billion and left a record 3 million acres of cropland in Manitoba unseeded. (19)


Check out Manitoba’s most recent Environment and Climate Report (2021-2022) here.

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