Delight, dismay over Kinew’s Lemay Forest peace plan Premier stuns both sides in bitter battle, announces intention to expropriate St. Norbert site for provincial park By: Tyler Searle Posted: 1:21 PM CDT Monday, Apr. 14, 2025 Last Modified: 6:06 PM CDT Monday, Apr. 14, 2025 Updates

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The Kinew government announced plans Monday to seize St. Norbert’s Lemay Forest to protect 18 acres of privately owned land from development in a move that blindsided the project leader and drew praise from environmentalists.

“I want the chainsaws to stop and, to that end, the province of Manitoba is going to expropriate Lemay Forest and turn it into a provincial park,” Premier Wab Kinew told reporters.

During an unrelated news conference, Kinew revealed the province is preparing for “a bunch of paperwork” to preserve the forest that is home to many mature trees, including maple, green ash, elm and cottonwood.

He said the decision was made with the public interest in mind, and followed “reasonable” and unsuccessful attempts to buy the land from a developer.

The province looked at heritage and cemetery legislation in weighing all options before considering expropriation, Kinew noted.

The announcement came as crews returned to the urban forest Monday morning and resumed tree clearing at the site, where Tochal Development Group has proposed construction of a 5,000-bed, 2,500-unit assisted-living facility.

City council rejected Tochal’s proposal, deeming it far too large for the site. The developer appealed that decision to the Manitoba Municipal Board and awaits the board’s final ruling.

John Wintrup, a key planner for the proposed project, questioned whether Kinew’s announcement respected the integrity of that process. He said the developer was given no advance warning on the threat of expropriation.

“It sounds like (Kinew) is tipping the scale for a decision against us,” Wintrup told the Free Press from the site, shouting into the phone to be heard over the sound of roaring chainsaws. “I think it’s a heavy-handed government breathing down on us.”

Kinew would not estimate what the plan could cost, but said the next steps will involve negotiating fair market value for the property.

Manitoba Habitat Conservancy, with support from the provincial and federal governments, offered to buy the land for $5.25 million in January. Tochal refused the deal, with its lawyer, Kevin Toyne, suggesting the property was worth approximately $8 million.

The expropriation plan comes after months of protests at the Lemay site, where chainsaw crews felled more trees Monday. Wintrup did not confirm how many acres have already been cleared, but said the total was “more than a few.”

Those aiming to save the trees have argued that the forest is an important site for cultural practices and an animal habitat. Many also raised concerns about protecting unmarked graves of Métis children and others in a former cemetery that was part of the former l’Asile Ritchot orphanage, which operated in Lemay from 1904 to 1948.

The developer had previously hired crews to remove trees, but that process was interrupted. Some opponents responded by setting up tents on city property next to the site — at times blocking access to the forest.

Wintrup accused one demonstrator of trespassing on the property Monday and coming dangerously close to a tree that was being cut down.

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“I prevented her physically from actually getting too close to the tree, but the tree fell, and if it had fallen in a different direction, it would have hit myself and her,” he said.

Wintrup phoned police, who he said arrived and handcuffed the woman.

A Winnipeg Police Service news release confirmed officers arrested a 39-year-old woman shortly after 10 a.m. for “attending on private property and interfering with authorized employees.”

The woman is facing charges for contempt of court and mischief. She was released on a promise to appear with an undertaking, police said.

Louise May, a spokeswoman for the Coalition to Save Lemay Forest, said she is pleased the government is taking action to save the trees.

Culture, Heritage and Tourism Minister Nellie Kennedy phoned her to share the news minutes before Kinew spoke to reporters, May said.

“This is the best news we could have hoped for. I’m really proud of our government, and very, very thankful for Premier Kinew’s leadership,” she said.

May previously raised a private prosecution against the landowner and planner of the development, alleging the removal of trees violates provincial cemetery legislation. She said a Manitoba Crown prosecutor has since decided not to recommend pursuing that court challenge, so it is expected to end this week.

She said it felt “sickening” to lose additional trees Monday.

“It just shows what (the developer’s) intent truly is. They’re not interested in participating in a community discussion. They’re not interested in all of the efforts… to either purchase the property (to preserve the forest) or find other solutions. They’re simply interested in eradicating the forest so that there’s one less argument to preserve (it),” she said.

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Mayor Scott Gillingham also endorsed the plan.

“I’m pleased to see, perhaps, a potential resolution to this. This has been an ongoing matter for years,” he said. “They’ve identified a way to resolve this matter and I’m pleased to see that.”

Interim Progressive Conservative leader Wayne Ewasko said the party is waiting for more details about Kinew’s plan.

He said preserving cemeteries and burial grounds is critical, but should be done in consultation with property owners when involving private lands.

— With files from Joyanne Pursaga, Carol Sanders and Maggie Macintosh

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca

Tyler Searle
Reporter

Tyler Searle is a multimedia producer who writes for the Free Press’s city desk. A graduate of Red River College Polytechnic’s creative communications program, he wrote for the Stonewall Teulon Tribune, Selkirk Record and Express Weekly News before joining the paper in 2022. Read more about Tyler.

Every piece of reporting Tyler 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.