Landfill search ‘way under budget’: premier

The landfill search that has uncovered the remains of two people, including at least one who was the victim of a serial killer, is “way under budget,” Premier Wab Kinew said Monday.

The search at Prairie Green Landfill, which began in December, discovered potential human remains late last month. One set of remains was identified Friday as belonging to Morgan Harris, 39, one of four victims of Jeremy Skibicki. A second set of remains awaits identification.

“I hope Manitobans feel positive about the fact we were able to deliver to Morgan Harris’ family the news that they wanted — that they are going to get their loved one back,” Kinew said during a scrum in his office. “But the job’s not done.”

The remains of Marcedes Myran, 26, another victim of Skibicki, are also believed to be in the landfill north of Winnipeg.

“We have the Myran family that we also want to be able to move forward with their closure and their healing, so we’re going to keep working on that,” Kinew said.

The premier said the investigation continues on the second set of remains.

“Right now, we’re still waiting on the identification process to play out and because we don’t know what’s going to happen there, we can’t speak publicly about a ton of detail because we don’t know who these remains are that we’re talking about,” the premier said.

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Kinew said the search is ahead of schedule and has so far cost less than the $40 million committed by the federal and provincial governments.

“We are way under budget,” said Kinew, who wouldn’t provide a dollar figure.

A feasibility study commissioned by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs in 2023 estimated the search could take up to three years and cost as much as $184 million.

“For the time being, the search continues,” Kinew said.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

Carol Sanders
Legislature reporter

Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol.

Every piece of reporting Carol produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.