On October 27th, the Province of Manitoba released its Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan. In it, the Province is outlining its proposed commitments to addressing climate change in Manitoba. At present, the document is still under review, and they are asking YOU to respond with your input and make your voice heard. The deadline for your feedback is December 22nd, 2017.
Consultation Period
The Manitoba Climate and Green Plan as it currently exists is a discussion document. To have your say, there are two ways to get involved:
First, we encourage you to fill out the Climate and Green Plan Survey. This survey is seven questions and ask for your priorities. BE PREPARED! The survey cannot be completed without first entering your email address AND Manitoba Postal Code. You can complete the survey here.
Second, we encourage you to fill out the more comprehensive Made-in-Manitoba Plan Survey. This survey asks for your comments on each of the four pillars, and specifically how you wish to see these pillars addressed. Again, this survey cannot be completed without first entering your email address AND Manitoba Postal Code. You can complete this survey here by selecting each pillar, which will open up a drop-down menu with four text boxes for you to fill in.
Consultation has been extended to December 22nd, 2017. (Previously Nov 30th)
About the Plan
The plan is comprehensive and broad sweeping. Its Vision is bold: ” Manitoba will be Canada’s cleanest, greenest and most climate resilient province.” The Province identifies executing this vision through four pillars:
Climate
The Climate Pillar’s mission is to reduce GHG emissions, invest in clean energy and ensure Manitoba adapts to climate change impacts.
Jobs
The Jobs Pillar shows a core focus on using sustainable development to help create new jobs and economic growth for Manitobans.
Water
The Water Pillar brings together challenges of water quality and water quantity.
Nature
Respecting nature in all its majesty and vulnerability is the mission of the nature pillar.
To read more on the Manitoba Climate and Green Plan, download the document here.
Green Action Centre’s Response
The Manitoba Climate and Green Plan is an expansive and comprehensive document. In it, we have seen a wide variety of methods by which the Province suggests we address the issue of Climate Change and sustainable development. Green Action Centre’s response to the document can be found in this document here. You are welcome to review and use this material to formulate your answers.
Note: Green Action Centre is a founding member of the Manitoba Carbon Pricing Coalition (MCPC), which arose last summer to ensure that Manitoba followed through with an adequate carbon price. You can read about MCPC here.
The papers below, written by MCPC members, are cited in our brief.
Green Action Centre Policy Committee members Peter Miller and Harvey Stevens wrote a brief on behalf of MCPC before the release of the draft plan – [Joining the Future: Why Manitoba Should Sign on to the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change and its Carbon Price.]
Curt Hull, MCPC’s coordinator, has written [A Plan to Build Climate Resilience in Manitoba].
To hear from residents of Manitoba who attended the public town hall on Novemeber 28, visit Wilderness Committee – Manitoba Office’s website here for a detailed summary of recommendations.
The Manitoba Climate and Green Plan is an opportunity like never before for Manitobans to engage with the Provincial Government and adopt a comprehensive, strong, and fair climate plan. This is your chance to tell the Province that climate change is important, and clear, tangible actions should be set in place that we can all work towards.
This should be addressed by our government when they are ready and when the public has had a full year or more to consider all options.
I fully disagree with a conservation group administrating funds over 100 million.
In my area lands under agreements have been sold and the conservation and preservation portion completely ignored. Another conservation group has an area that is expanding and refused to compensate the property owner. That is unethical and shows a weakness of morality.
In my area again, there is another conservation group that only has permission to purchase 40 acres of agricultural lands but proceeded to far exceed that limit without any interruption or correction.
To reframe, I am not impressed with the conservation groups in our province with the exception of the Wildlife federation.
We should protect our water due to its future value. We should protect crown lands which are not leased by selling them to property owners. Their efforts are far more impressive than any conservation group in this province.
Thanks for your time.
Hi Nicole,
We would recommend that you send your feedback directly to your MLA or to Minister Rochelle Squires, who is the Minister of Sustainable Development. They will be able to receive your thoughts into their process – at this point, the Green Plan has more or less been finalized and how it will be implemented is being discussed.
As you mention, this is a long document, and I’d like to be able to provide an informed opinion. Will your synopsis/commentary be available to refer to before the feedback deadline? Thanks for your great work!
Hi Wade. Thank you for your question, and for your patience! Green Action Centre has finished our response, which has now been included in this piece. Please take a look and let us know if you have any questions!