Could charges mean a change for Lake Winnipeg?

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/02/2025 (235 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The notion that Manitoba’s natural environment is protected by robust rules and regulations is flawed because our largest body of water, Lake Winnipeg, continues to be befouled.

Guidelines for water quality on rivers that enter the lake have been consistently disregarded as there has been a failure to act. Both federal and provincial protocols controlling the release of untreated sewage have for years failed to be enforced, resulting in harmful algae blooms in the lake.

This month, however, in what may be a harbinger of change the city has been charged under the provincial environment act for last February’s spill of 228.4 million litres of raw sewage into the Red River.

Manitoba’s environment and climate change department, which has a mission to sustainably protect waterways by reducing pollution, has several caveats providing the minister with too much wiggle room. Our new minister, Mike Moyes, is caught between a rock and a hard place because his role is to strike a balance between protecting the environment and meeting the economic needs of the province.

His dilemma is walking the line between fulfilling his mandate and financially handicapping the city. These charges under the act which are before the court may signal the end of city’s free ride. What they should do is motivate all three levels of government to make a plan and back it with resources.

The branch that responds to accidents and complaints which is responsible for acting in a prompt and effective manner has finally filed a report and the public is keen to see it. The department has taken full advantage of a year’s grace to determine whether this disaster could have been prevented or if the decision-makers were at fault. Those municipal bureaucrats who failed so notably may eventually be held accountable.

The City of Winnipeg is facing a hefty fine under the Environment Act that could cost half a million dollars and the suspension of their licence. It remains to be seen whether the laws of our province have teeth and are substantial enough to stimulate change.

Mayor Scott Gillingham will have to face the investigation results on top of even more upheavals. His budget has to account for $4 million for emergency repairs due to the spill, and ultimately the fines. Council has been knocked off balance by the resignation of Coun. Sherri Rollins from the executive policy committee due to lack of transparency on a variety of issues, including waste and water. Tom Sparrow has been hired to oversee the financial mess of the north end sewage treatment plant and will be attempting to truncate massive cost overruns. Construction of the upgrade to this plant, which has dragged on, is critical in reducing pollutants to the lake.

The hefty property tax increase just implemented by the city to keep up with basic infrastructure will not provide for the much-needed improvements in waste and water infrastructure, with the costs continuing to balloon. For decades, municipal waste and water surpluses should have been directed to a fund to maintain and expand our sewage infrastructure, instead of rolling them back into general coffers. Winnipeg taxpayers may soon face exorbitant waste and water rates to compensate for bad planning.

It is no wonder that the Lake Winnipeg Foundation (LWF, whose mission is a healthy lake), is taken aback by this political chaos. The confusion encompasses a new provincial minister, environment act charges, claims of secrecy at city hall and several hundred per cent increases to a plant that needs to be built yesterday to accommodate Winnipeg’s rapid growth. On top of that a multibillion-dollar lawsuit has been filed against all levels of government by First Nations who depend on the lake and are fed up with inaction as the pollution persists.

What LWF executive director Alexis Kanu is up against in her lobbying efforts to reduce phosphorus flowing into the lake is a city government in turmoil. The role advocacy plays is especially crucial in this instance, as LWF is doing the important independent research in conjunction with the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). They have highlighted successes in other jurisdictions, and are actively tracking government progress.

Having spent time at the Experimental Lakes Area where my brother was camp manager, I was fortunate to become familiar with research directed by Dr. David Schindler on eutrophication. The results are compelling and a simple retrofit of the north end sewage treatment plant could meet provincial phosphorus limits, thereby significantly reducing algae in the lake. The LWF’s efforts to realize this goal depend on a new and improved plan by municipal officials instead of the old status quo.

The Lake Winnipeg Foundation is clear in its objectives and backed with proven science. It has provided all levels of government with clear action plans and offer a beacon of hope for officials caught in the mayhem of politics. The public’s support for the foundation’s work is crucial to its success.

Holding governments accountable for their actions has never been more important and the LWF is just the foundation to do it.

Dave Taylor has drawn attention to the pollution of rivers in Manitoba for several decades and is a regular contributor to the Winnipeg Free Press. Please see his blog at https://wpgsewage.wordpress.com