Swath of Ontario boreal forest larger than Toronto to be protected from development

Advertisement

Advertise with us

A chunk of Ontario's northern boreal forest bigger than Toronto is set to be protected from industrial development.

Read this article for free:


By clicking the button above, an account will be created and you will begin to receive some of our recommended newsletters. You may opt out of any newsletter by visiting your Email and Communication Preferences page or by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of any email.

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Digital Subscription

One year of digital access for only $1.44 a week*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*Billed as $5.77 plus GST every four weeks. After 52 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.

A chunk of Ontario’s northern boreal forest bigger than Toronto is set to be protected from industrial development.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada says it has acquired 814 square kilometres of boreal forest and peatlands south of Kapuskasing, previously owned by a company selling carbon offset credits. 

The non-profit says where the landscape is healthy and free of vulnerable species, some day-use recreational activities such as hiking and paddling may continue, in line with provincial laws. 

An undated handout aerial photo shows a stretch of the boreal forest in northern Ontario to be protected under the Nature Conservancy of Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Perimiter Forest (Mandatory Credit)
An undated handout aerial photo shows a stretch of the boreal forest in northern Ontario to be protected under the Nature Conservancy of Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Perimiter Forest (Mandatory Credit)

The federal government says it’s contributing $13 million to the project as part of a total $64-million investment from both public and private donors.

The announcement comes ahead of next week’s annual United Nations biodiversity summit, where the talks are expected to focus on global progress toward conservation goals. 

Ottawa unveiled a new $3.8-billion nature protection strategy earlier this year intended to put Canada’s goals within reach, months after the federal environmental watchdog found it to be more than one-million square kilometres short of its 2025 goal to protect 25 per cent of its lands and inland water. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 13, 2026. 

Report Error Submit a Tip

More Stories

Disgraced ex-dean landed job at German university after fleeing Winnipeg

Maggie Macintosh 8 minute read Preview

Disgraced ex-dean landed job at German university after fleeing Winnipeg

Maggie Macintosh 8 minute read Yesterday at 3:07 PM CDT

Before he was arrested in a posh Paris suburb, the disgraced dean of Manitoba’s only law school — who fled the country following a 2020 expense scandal — kept a low profile at a German university.

Read
Yesterday at 3:07 PM CDT

Not much of a race when most of the field can’t find their running shoes

Dan Lett 5 minute read Preview

Not much of a race when most of the field can’t find their running shoes

Dan Lett 5 minute read Yesterday at 2:52 PM CDT

In Winnipeg's mayoral race, there are few truly bad ideas, but hardly any really good ones.

Read
Yesterday at 2:52 PM CDT

Misused ensemble, underconfident script keep Street Fighter game adaptation from landing its blows clean

Darren Ridgley 5 minute read Preview

Misused ensemble, underconfident script keep Street Fighter game adaptation from landing its blows clean

Darren Ridgley 5 minute read Updated: 8:37 AM CDT

Adaptations of fighting games come built-in with a major problem: how does one tell a coherent story about a game with no true protagonist?

Sadly, Street Fighter doesn’t know.

When it debuted in 1991, Street Fighter II (upon which most of this film is based) featured 12 “world warriors,” eight of them playable and with their own motives.

Managing such a cast requires a script capable of efficiently introducing them and then giving everyone decent reasons to interact — or homing in on a few and letting the rest be set dressing. Director Kitao Sakurai opts for the latter, focusing on Japanese warrior Ryu (Andrew Koji), American Ken Masters (Noah Centineo) and Interpol agent Chun Li (Callina Liang).

Read
Updated: 8:37 AM CDT

Klein would redirect money to fix derelict arenas

Gabrielle Piché 3 minute read Preview

Klein would redirect money to fix derelict arenas

Gabrielle Piché 3 minute read 5:13 PM CDT

Rerouting funds slated for bike and walking paths to aging rinks is on mayoral candidate Kevin Klein’s radar.

“We have some arenas — and they seem to specifically be in the north end — that are not getting the attention they deserve,” Klein said.

“We have to spend the money wisely maintaining (arenas), because we don’t have the cash to rebuild them.”

Klein spoke to reporters Saturday after hearing the president of the River East Royal Knights had been locked out of his Terry Sawchuk Arena office.

Read
5:13 PM CDT

Playoff hopes dwindle for Bombers after loss to Edmonton

Taylor Allen 6 minute read Preview

Playoff hopes dwindle for Bombers after loss to Edmonton

Taylor Allen 6 minute read 4:33 AM CDT

EDMONTON — It’s a script the Winnipeg Blue Bombers should’ve shredded, burned, and buried.

Go to Edmonton, dominate the first half, crumble in the final two quarters and lose.

That’s what happened in Week 12, when the Bombers blew an early 16-point lead in a 22-19 loss. And in their return to Commonwealth Stadium on Friday night, the Bombers went down a nearly identical path in a 35-27 defeat to the Edmonton Elks.

In their latest disappearing act, the Blue and Gold led 21-10 with less than a minute remaining in the first half before seemingly vanishing into thin air.

Read
4:33 AM CDT

Granite Curling Club wants judge to stop work on housing project, review city’s decisions

Erik Pindera 4 minute read Preview

Granite Curling Club wants judge to stop work on housing project, review city’s decisions

Erik Pindera 4 minute read Yesterday at 10:21 PM CDT

The Granite Curling Club has filed a new court action asking a judge to review and quash City of Winnipeg decisions on a controversial project that would construct a 110-unit housing complex on its parking lot — and to issue an injunction stopping work for now.

The new notice of application, filed in the Court of King’s Bench on Wednesday, comes as a judge mulls his decision on an earlier court application from the club over how the city moved forward on approving the development.

The developer has since begun what it calls “investigative work” at the site, conducting some digging to prepare for a heritage resources impact assessment that will determine whether the area has archeological significance, the chief executive of the University of Winnipeg Community Renewal Corp. Inc. 2.0 said earlier this week.

Work at the site prompted the club’s lawyers to file the new application, which will have its first hearing on Oct. 26.

Read
Yesterday at 10:21 PM CDT