Manitoba's new water strategy: Limit its use

Manitoba is unveiling a new water strategy that emphasizes conservation — and floats the idea of a new pricing system.

The provincial Progressive Conservative government released a strategy on Tuesday that will, in broad strokes, guide Manitoba's actions to protect its water resources for years to come. The province said it will develop an action plan this winter to determine its future decisions.

The strategy vows to "make every drop count" by valuing the province's water resources.

"The focus needs to shift from supply-side management solutions to approaches that reduce how much water we use," the strategy reads.

Premier Heather Stefanson said now that the strategy is complete, the province will collaborate with industry and environmental representatives to start putting together its action plan.

"This important work is just the beginning," she said at a Tuesday news conference at FortWhyte Alive.

"I look forward to establishing new and improved ways of managing Manitoba's water resources that will meet our environmental, social and economic needs now and well into future."

Stefanson said Manitoba's collective water needs are changing as climate change and extreme weather significantly impact how much water is available.

Environment, Climate and Parks Minister Jeff Wharton said those kinds of extreme weather events in recent years, like floods and droughts, have highlighted the need for a new water strategy.

"Water, like climate change, touches all areas of our government and society," Wharton said at the news conference, adding the plan is to complete and release the action plan sometime in the spring.

Several other representatives at the news conference echoed the increased need for a water strategy as Manitoba sees more droughts and floods, including Colleen Sklar, executive director of the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region — an association that includes representatives from the capital and surrounding municipalities — and Stephen Carlyle from the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation.

The strategy will serve a guide as Manitoba works to protect its water resources — especially in the south, where communities and businesses are growing.

"Although Manitoba as a whole has an abundance of high-quality surface water and groundwater supplies, several water sources in southern Manitoba are fully or near fully allocated," the strategy says.

In those areas, the potential for economic development and community growth have become limited, especially in the potato irrigation and agricultural-processing sectors — both major contributors to Manitoba's economy.

The strategy also notes Manitoba's population is expected to grow by about 26 per cent, or roughly 360,000 residents, from 2020 to the early 2040s.

But the province's water supplies are limited, which means without a concerted effort, "there is an increasing risk that available water supplies will not meet this growing demand," the strategy says.

1st water plan in almost 20 years

Possible options for the action plan could include new water-pricing structures, updating leak detection and repair, and designing landscapes that reduce or eliminate the need for irrigation, the strategy says. The province will consult Manitobans as it considers various ideas.

The strategy also commits to protecting biodiversity, groundwater and surface water quality, as well as meeting current and future water supply needs.

Water infrastructure needs are pressing, but the "foremost challenge is our infrastructure deficit," the strategy reads, with some structures needing rehabilitation or replacement.

The strategy is Manitoba's first in-depth look at water management since the former NDP government developed an approach in 2003.

The new strategy also builds on input from people across Manitoba, including some that came through engagement done through the Enterprise Machine Intelligence and Learning Initiative, also known as EMILI.

The industry-led non-profit was created to speed up the growth of the agri-food industry across the Prairies through digital agriculture technologies, the province's website says.

EMILI board chair Ray Bouchard said through in-depth interviews with water experts and other consultations done for the water strategy, he heard enthusiasm "for the opportunity that a water management strategy could enable for our environment and our economy."

Bouchard, who is also the president and chief executive officer of Enns Brothers and a chair of the Business Council of Manitoba's integrated water strategy, said EMILI recommended more than 60 action items for the water strategy.

Most of them were included, he said, as were "many sectors that we talked to and the diverse perspectives that we heard."

Brenna Mahoney, general manager for Keystone Agricultural Producers, said the strategy addresses most of the agriculture sector's water needs.

Now, Mahoney said farmers the lobby group has spoken to are looking forward to working with the province as it develops its water action plan.

"Many farm families in Manitoba have been working for generations on their land and can provide the knowledge and expertise that is needed to ensure the action plan accurately reflects our terrain and the environmental conditions," she said.