Manitoba announces $540K program for communities to stop spread of zebra mussels in provincial water bodies

The Manitoba government is taking a community-by-community approach to protecting the province’s waterways from zebra mussels.

At a funding announcement in the shadow of the St. Andrews dam on the Red River Wednesday, Environment and Climate Change Minister Mike Moyes announced a $540,000 investment to help municipalities, Indigenous communities and non-profits develop localized programs to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species.

“These species don’t just change the ecosystems of our rivers and lakes, they change how we experience them. They mess with the waters that so many of us rely on for fishing, boating or simply just enjoying nature,” Moyes said. “Preventing the spread of AIS is something that we all have a part in.”

The bulk of the funding — $410,000 — was first announced in the 2025 budget and will be put towards an AIS prevention fund for local governments and community groups to spend on projects such as watercraft cleaning-and-inspection stations, community outreach initiatives, monitoring and eradication efforts.

An additional $130,000 has been earmarked for “specialized equipment” to support mitigation and prevention efforts, including mobile pressure-washers for decontaminating watercraft.

“It’s about supporting local solutions and building strong partnerships,” Moyes said, adding the province will let applicant communities take the lead in deciding where the funds go.

Some of those partnerships are already underway.

Association of Manitoba Municipalities vice-president Scott Phillips thanked the province Wednesday for its support developing a municipal bylaw and frequently-asked-questions template to help local governments inform residents and visitors about waterway protection guidelines.

“Municipalities need strong tools and clear guidance, especially as we head into busy summer months when we will have even more Manitobans and visitors enjoying our lakes and waterways,” Phillips said, adding that communities need “ongoing support and long-term funding” to ensure management strategies are effective.

The City of Selkirk has partnered with the province on an inspection-and-decontamination station at its boat launch since 2015.

“It’s so important that we fight these invasive species,” Selkirk Mayor Larry Johannson said during the announcement. “The waterways are so important to quality of life.”

Nine Manitoba water bodies, including Lake Manitoba, Lake Winnipeg, Red River and Nelson River, are infested with zebra mussels, which can clog water infrastructure, litter beaches with shells and damage water quality. Last year, Clear Lake became the westernmost Canadian water body infested with the invasive mussels.

The Manitoba government has steadily ramped up efforts to protect its rivers and lakes from zebra mussels and other ecosystem-damaging species since 2024, including the release of an aquatic invasive species management strategy last summer, and a $1.4-million increase to the AIS management budget over the last two years.

The funds have supported additional inspection stations, including a mobile unit, and expanded monitoring programs.

julia-simone.rutgers@freepress.mb.ca