"Despite Ontario and British Columbia receiving high grades, there's room for vast improvement," said lead researcher Erin Marchington, adding that if all provinces and territories achieved best practices provinces would score top marks nationwide.

Manitoba scored a C+, and ranked 11th among the provinces and territories placing ahead of only Saskatchewan and Alberta.

According to the report, although Manitoba performs well in water and energy efficiency the economy is wasteful. Manitoba has the lowest waste diversion per capita in Canada; the second-highest kilometres travelled per capita, the lowest fuel efficiency in the country, and Manitoba's parks score lowest on ecological integrity.

The research team used a series of 35 indicators grouped into seven categories: air and climate, water, nature, transportation, waste, energy and buildings, and innovation.

The methodology was developed with assistance of the Green Provinces Advisory Committee: Faisal Moola, David Suzuki Foundation program director of terrestrial conservation and science; Sachi Gibson, Pembina Institute technical and policy analyst; and Jose Etcheverry, assistant professor of environmental studies at York University.