Protecting our environment

Fort Rouge

Churchill is one of the most extraordinary places on Earth. It is home to polar bears and thousands of beluga whales in Hudson Bay. Since time immemorial, the marine ecosystem has sustained the way of life for people in what is now northern Manitoba. All the way across the province, people in Fort Rouge know that this environment is a big part of how we are known around the world, and care deeply about protecting it. Our government knows this, too, and we have a responsibility to protect what makes our province so special.

Right now, we’re working to build up the Port of Churchill into a major trading hub that will help us grow our economy and protect Canadian freedom. Along with all the economic benefits this project will bring Manitobans, we have a chance to invest in conservation and protect the natural world that sustains all of us.

Our government is making good on this opportunity. In February, we announced that we’re exploring creation of a marine conservation area in Hudson Bay. Conservation efforts like this one are important for a healthy and sustainable province, and they also help promote economic growth. Northern tourism, sustainable development, and community prosperity all depend on clean water, healthy wildlife populations, and intact ecosystems. When we protect the environment, we also protect long-term opportunities for families and communities in the north and across our province.

Exploring the marine conservation area in Hudson Bay is just one step we’re taking to reach our goal to protect 30 per cent of our land and water by 2030. It builds on the important progress we’re making with the Seal River watershed, and with protecting the Lemay Forest right here in Winnipeg.

Through all these projects, we’re working in collaboration with Indigenous nations such as York Factory First Nation, which stood with us at the announcement of the support for the marine conservation area, as well as local communities, the federal government, and environmental groups such as Oceans North, which is investing $1 million in the initiative. That spirit of partnership also guided my recent meeting with Premier Main from Nunavut and the Kivalliq Inuit Association. Together, we spoke about building a stronger north in Canada by supporting economic development while protecting the land and water we all rely on.

This meeting was yet another example of what’s possible when we come together with a shared purpose: to make sure we are creating a strong, healthy, and sustainable future for the next generation. Whether it’s the forests and rivers of the Seal River region or along the coastal waters near Churchill, we will always be the most successful when we come together to build a future where all life in Manitoba can thrive.

If you want to connect with us about conservation, or local matters in Fort Rouge, you can visit 2-565 Osborne St., call 204-615-1922, or email wab.kinew@yourmanitoba.ca.