This page provides a listing of public reviews regarding Manitoba's parks and protected areas. These may concern decisions for new protected areas, renewal of interim protection, or the steps in park management planning.

In Manitoba protected areas are protected by regulation from: logging, mining, hydroelectric, oil and gas development as well as other activities that could significantly and adversely affect natural habitat. A protected area may be designated under any of several laws in Manitoba.

Visit Manitoba Conservation Parks and Natural Areas current Public Reviews

Six Park Reserves and One Provincial Park Under Review

Goose Islands Park Reserve (145 hectares (ha)), Grand Island Park Reserve (1,035 ha), and Pemmican Island Parks Reserve (22 ha) are all located in Lake Winnipegosis approximately 175 kilometres north of Dauphin, Manitoba.

Kinwow Bay Park Reserve (8,400 ha), Sturgeon Bay Park Reserve (14,490 ha), and Pelican Islands Park Reserve (130 ha) are located along the western shore of Lake Winnipeg approximately 225 kilometres north of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Manitoba's Parks Act, s. 9(1) requires public consultation for park reserves, and park reserve renewals. Comments must be received no later than November 21, 2011.

Park reserve designation, which established the protected areas, provides interim protection while the decision for permanent designation and protection is made.

If park reserve designation is renewed until 2016, this will be the third time that interim protection has been extended for an additional five-years for these six Park Reserves, which were initially established under Manitoba's Parks Act June 1, 2001.

"More than 15 days should have been given to solicit public comments," said Manitoba Wildlands Director Gaile Whelan Enns. "After more than a decade of interim protection, and plans to increase interim protection to 15 years, Manitobans should be rightly asking if and when these protected areas will be permanent?"

Meanwhile, St. Malo Provincial Park, a recreational park centred around the Rat River Dam reservoir located about 60 kilometres south of Winnipeg, is considering facility improvements and asking the public to share their concerns. The public can participate in the process through on online questionnaire available until November 14th, 2011 or by attending a 6:30pm November 17, 2011 community workshop at the Dufrost Community Hall, Dufrost, Manitoba. A provincial park management plan, as required by Manitoba's Parks Act, s. 11, has never been created for St. Malo Provincial Park.

Bloodvein Pimitotah Lands Plan Now Public

The proposed Pimitotah traditional planning area regulation describes boundaries of the proposed 3,482 square kilometre area and acknowledges the proposed management plan that would apply to the Pimitoah lands. In addition to establishing a new permanent protected area, the plan proposes community-resource and commercial-development zones.

A public open-house about the proposed planning area regulation and management plan was held July 8th, 2011 in Winnipeg. The open-house revealed that additional changes to the original plan survey map will be made: additional sacred shoreline archeological sites areas on or near the shore are now identified for protection, and land use classification will be changed from commercial to local community resource use for another zone.

The proposed Pimitotah traditional land-use area is the second First Nation lands plan to be reviewed by regulation under Manitoba's East Side Traditional Lands Planning and Special Protected Areas Act - the Poplar River First Nation Asatiwisipe Aki Management Plan was the first plan approved under the Act, in June 2011.

Poplar River's and Bloodvein's protected traditional areas will be part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site bid that goes to Canada for review in 2011, to be formally submitted in 2012 to UNESCO. Five Ontario and Manitoba First Nations entered into an accord for the future of their neighbouring lands in 2002. The accord indicates that world heritage site listing would be investigated by the communities.

More information, including comment sheets, can be found on Manitoba Conservation's website. The public has until August 23, 2011 to submit their comments.

Province Subsidizes Tim Horton Youth Camp

In 2010 the foundation received $24 million in gross revenue, with a $2.5 million surplus. Foundation revenue is garnered primarily from donation boxes at Tim Hortons locations, and coffee sales revenues from Tim Hortons annual "Camp Day".

The camp is expected to host 3,800 people annually, during peak season (June-September) most summer visitors will be leadership graduates from outside of Manitoba, with Manitoban groups having access in the winter.

The Sylvia Lake camp in Manitoba will be the Foundation's seventh camp. Total cost of the Sylvia Lake camp is estimated to be $12 million.

The Foundation presently has six other camps across North America. It is the Foundation's first camp inside a provincial park. The Whiteshell Provincial Park does not have a management plan as required under Manitoba's Provincial Parks Act. Initially the Foundation intended to construct a camp near Meditation Lake, also in Whiteshell Park, but changed locations to near Sylvia Lake following public outrage and concerns over water quality near Meditation Lake.

The camp near Sylvia Lake received an environmental license May 19, 2011. Manitoba Wildlands, along with others, submitted comments during the licensing process in winter 2010. Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2012 to open summer 2013.

"Our province looks forward to a strong partnership with Tim Hortons to help deserving young people gain valuable life skills and leadership experience," said Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger.

Wildlife Management Areas in Manitoba: Protected?

WMAs are designated by regulation under the Wildlife Act. Some WMAs are adjacent to other protected areas. Originally none of Manitoba's WMAs were protected. Over about 5 years existing WMAs were reviewed to locate lands that were intact, and available for protected status.

The "Protected Areas" website lists 52 wildlife management areas (WMAs) with "whole or partial protection", and claims "...the [WMA] system has grown to encompass almost 2 million hectares (5 million acres) of valuable wildlife habitat throughout the province. Still only around 1/4 of lands in the WMA system have protection.

Three of the 52 WMAs currently listed on the "Protected Areas" page (Assiniboine Corridor Wildlife Management Area, Parkland Wildlife Management Area, and Whitewater Lake Wildlife Management Area) have areas that include petroleum extraction and exploration that do not meet the Department's own definition of a protected area.

WMAs often include several sub-units. Manitoba's land information system (MLIs) lists 146 current and proposed WMA units. (*Note* - total area in Ha determined using MLIs, rather than Manitoba Conservation website data.)

Many WMA units are quite small.

In recent years new WMAs have been established without protected status.

The two newest WMAs are Kaskatamagan WMA and Kaskatamagan Sipi. The Kaskatamagan WMA, announced in 2009, was an expansion and renaming of the former Cape Tatnum WMA. Although the total area of the WMA is now 561,964.08 ha, 300,925.99 ha, more than half the total area, remain lacks protection.

There are also other large WMAs waiting for designation or permanent protection. Saskeram (95,453.26 Ha) and Tom Lamb (216,417.54 Ha) remain candidates for protection, despite being identified as candidates in 1963 and 1965 respectively. Saskeram and Tom Lamb (formerly Mawdesley) WMAs are located on opposite sides of Clearwater Lake Provincial Park near The Pas, Manitoba.

South Saskatchewan River Delta - No Action Yet

Requests from Manitoba Wildlands for technical information and improved mapping for this proposed protected area have gone unanswered.

First Nations communities are affected by this potential protected area. The consultation standards in Manitoba's First Nation Protected Areas MOU may or may not be intact regarding this crown lands designation. There are also many drainage projects and alterations in the proposed area, due to flooding caused by hydro generation stations, in particular the Grand Rapids dam. The Kelsey municipality is undertaking restoration, through a mitigation reserve fund with Manitoba Hydro and Manitoba, along the South Saskatchewan River. Any future designation is likely to need a management plan that addresses restoration, and accurately identifies challenges and benefits.

Important Bird Areas review has occurred, and the altered ecosystem provides nesting and habitat for many bird species. Overtime land species, large mammals, and ungulates have returned to the area.

"Manitoba Wildlands expects clarity on the status of this proposed protected area. In the meantime changes in boundary, and alterations to the plan for the area may be occurring. Priorities set for protected areas decisions 4 years ago include the South Saskatchewan River Delta," stated Gaile Whelan Enns.

Meditation and Sylvia Lakes To Be Protected

The two lakes were the focus of public reviews after the Tim Horton Foundation Youth Leadership Camp identified camp locations near the lakes.

Meditation Lake and the surrounding area is popular sites for canoeing and fishing. It was subject to public review as a possible site for the Tim Horton's camp. The review process led the province to keep Meditation Lake as undeveloped backcountry, with a new option for Tim Horton's camp west of Sylvia Lake.

The Tim Hortons camp at Sylvia Lake is expected to open in 2012. The lands adjacent to the Tim Hortons camp at Sylvia Lake, near Pinawa, Manitoba will not be developed or made accessible for new cottage development, states Blaikie. No licence has been issued yet for the camp at Sylvia Lake, based on the Manitoba Conservation online registry.

"A land-use category change will be initiated in the near future," according to Blaikie.

As of March 17, 2011 no regulatory changes for protect areas had been made, nor had the Whiteshell Provincial Park land use categories been updated under Manitoba's Parks Act.

"We would like to see a public review and plans for the new no logging zones in provincial parks. To date they are not protected lands, and management plans are not in place. These steps would have averted the Tim Horton's complications," stated Gaile Whelan Enns, director of Manitoba Wildlands.

Tim Horton Sylvia Lake Camp Proposal

Manitoba Willdands commented on several deficiencies within the EA, including:

• A Management Plan for Whiteshell Provincial Park should be completed before new developments are considered.
• Consultation standards and procedures are not clear, and the consultation undertaken with affected First Nations was inadequate.
• Environmental protection plans and Department of Fisheries and Oceans approval should be in the EA filed.
• Species analysis was not adequate.

This was the second proposed camp location inside Whiteshell Park after public pressure and water quality issues forced Tim Horton's to rethink its earlier proposed location near Meditation Lake.

Download Manitoba Wildlands Comments on Tim Horton Sylvia Lake Camp Proposal (PDF)

Neultin and Colvin Parks Update

As of December 11, 2010 regulations were not all in place for these two parks. A similar problem occurred in late 2009 concerning two new wildlife management areas, as protected lands designations. These were included in the 2009 protected areas grade.

Each year Manitoba Wildlands writes the Minister responsible for protected areas establishment, alerting the minister and staff as to the timelines for the annual protected areas audit and grade.

The November Throne Speech text references the land quantum protected by the Manitoba government in the last year. Two of the protected areas included in that land quantum were included in the 2009 Manitoba protected areas audit and grade, based on regulatory steps taking in 2009.

View December 1, 2010 Manitoba Government news release

Throne Speech Announces New Protected Areas

The Throne Speech claimed that the Manitoba government has protected one million hectares of land and waters in the last year. In the period between October 2009, and January 2010 the regulatory steps were taken to protect: Kaskatamagan and Kaskatamagan Sipi wildlife management areas (WMA). These were reported in the Manitoba Wildlands protected areas grade for 2009. (Of the 558,810 ha Kaskatamagan WMA 259,530 ha are protected, in Kaskatamagan Sipi WMA the entire 133,820 ha are protected)

As of November 30, 2010 regulatory steps to protect the two new parks are not complete, and surveys of the designations are not available. Lack of surveys and online mapping data leaves the size of these new parks unknown, as boundaries were adjusted a few times. No government press release, or website content exists for the parks announced November 16, 2010.

"We are pleased to see the Selinger government taking steps to catch up on protected areas establishment in our boreal regions. It should be noted, though, these four new protected areas are all above the tree line. Commitments to establish new protected areas in boreal regions includes where there are forests! Action for an advisory committee regarding protection of northern peatlands and their carbon reservoirs is lagging. Information that used to be transparent regarding consultations before new protected areas are announced, is not available." commented Gaile Whelan Enns, director of Manitoba Wildlands.

Manitoba Wildlands issues an annual protected areas audit and grade for government actions in our province, based on the calendar year. The same grading criteria and technical standards have been used for the Manitoba protected areas grade over the last two decades.

Little Limestone Lake Park Review

Manitoba Wildlands submitted comments on the proposed protected area designation highlighting the inadequacy of a 100 m buffer zone around the lake. Manitoba Wildlands questions consultation and public review standards. Also to date there is no classification in Manitoba's Parks Act for water.

Birds Hill Provincial Park Management Plan

Public drop-ins were held in the summer of 2010 and the public had until August 31, 2010 to submit comment sheets regarding: protection of unique and rare species in the park, the growing number of visitors to the park and the conflicts this creates, and how much and what kind of development should be allowed in the park.

A second public review period will be held in 2011 to review a draft management plan for the park.

Birch Island & Fisher Bay Park Reserves

Birch Island Park Reserve is located on Lake Winnipegosis about 150 kilometres north of Dauphin. It includes Birch Island and a number of small islands, reefs and shoals. The area has a diverse mix of habitats, such as jack pine / black spruce ridges, mixedwood and black spruce muskeg. The small islands and reefs provide nesting habitat for many colonial nesting birds. Total park reserve area is 790 km2.

Manitoba Conservation is seeking comments until September 30, 2010 about Fisher Bay park reserve, with an intention to extend the designation, and current land use classification until 2015.

Fisher Bay Park Reserve is located on the west side of Lake Winnipeg about 200 kilometres north of Winnipeg. The park reserve is roughly 841 km2 in size, of which 61,000 ha (or 72%) is the water of Fisher Bay. The remaining 23,100 ha includes land adjacent to Fisher Bay and a number of larger islands, such as Moose, Little Moose and Tamarack Islands, smaller islands, shoals and reefs.

The park reserve features treed shorelines, long sandy beaches, and islands of old-growth forest. It is home to wildlife such as bears, moose, fox, eagles and birds.

Colvin Lake Park Comments

Located in the traditional territories of Northlands Dene First Nation and Sayisi Dene, the protected park would provide habitat for tundra caribou, moose, black bear, wolverine, wolf, lynx, fox, river otter, weasel, mink, and habitat for migratory bird species, such as: loons, osprey, eagles, plovers, cranes and a variety of waterfowl.

Nueltin Lake Park Comments

Located in the traditional territories of Northlands Dene First Nation and Sayisi Dene, the park would provide habitat for tundra caribou, moose, black bear, wolverine, wolf, lynx, fox, river otter, weasel, mink, and habitat for migratory bird species, such as: loons, osprey, eagles, plovers, cranes and a variety of waterfowl.

Manitoba Proposes New Parks

Located in an area known as the "Land of Little Sticks", the proposed Colvin Lake Park would cover 162,800 hectares of transition area between tundra and boreal forest running along the Saskatchewan border and close to Nunavut.

The proposed 447,000 hectares Nueltin Lake Park, is located east of Colvin Lake, and the area is characterized by numerous eskers braiding across the landscape.

The two proposed parks would provide habitat for many species including moose, black bear, wolverine, wolf, lynx, fox, river otter, weasel, mink, and habitat for migratory bird species, such as: loons, osprey, eagles, plovers, cranes and a variety of waterfowl.

In addition, both proposed parks are located in the range area of the Beverly and Qamanirjuaq tundra caribou herds, and would lie within the traditional territories of Northlands Dene First Nation and Sayisi Dene.

The Conservation Manitoba webpage indicates the Constitutional rights of aboriginal people to access these areas for hunting, trapping, fishing, and other traditional pursuits will be respected, but it remains unclear if adequate consultation has taken place with local aboriginal people regarding the proposed parks.

Go to the Manitoba Conservation, Public Consultations webpage, for information on the proposals and how to file your own comments.

Nopiming Development Secret

Manitoba Conservation and Manitoba Hydro ignored or circumvented requirements, and has failed to undertake consultations with Sagkeeng First Nation whose traditional lands include the proposed power corridor. Brush cutting for the corridor began December 4th despite written protests from the First Nation and local cottage owners opposed to the project.

"This process should have been handled in full public view. The land in question is in a protected provincial park, is traditional First Nations land, and yet Manitoba Conservation let a small group of pro-Hydro cottage owners lead the project," stated Kevin Lamoureux.

Whelan Enns called on Bill Blaikie, Manitoba's Conservation Minister, to remove the secrecy surrounding development decisions in provincial parks. "The new minister of conservation needs to return our parks system to consistent, fully public decision making. Secret developments in our parks must end."

Selinger Needs to Keep Road Out of Grass River Park

The two environmental organizations are appealing to Premier Selinger to review this decision, and decide whether a logging road is a logging development, and whether the woodland caribou in this park deserve protection.

"Any reasonable person would expect a thoughtful citizen appeal to be responded to," said Eric Reder, Campaign Director for the Wilderness Committee. "Unfortunately, our Environment Act includes a ''weasel out'' clause, allowing our government to deny an appeal without explanation."

"We would like to see our new premier stand up for wilderness, wildlife and protected lands in the province," said Gaile Whelan Enns of Manitoba Wildlands. "This appeal to reverse a poor decision gives him his first opportunity to do so."

View September 11, 2009 Western Canada Wilderness Committee Appeal letter (PDF)
View September 11, 2009 Manitoba Wildlands Appeal letter (PDF)
View October 16, 2009 Manitoba Minister of Conservation Dismissal letter (PDF)
View October 27, 2009 full joint press release (PDF)