Conservation district managers say they welcome proposed changes to legislation governing conservation districts that would make it easier to work with Indigenous communities. The province is proposing amendments to the Conservation Districts Act — which would be renamed the Watershed Authorities Act — that would allow these new watershed entities to strike one-on-one partnership agreements
CD managers want to work more closely with Indigenous communities
A watershed moment
Manitoba has released three new environmental initiatives to improve water management and watershed planning
The provincial government is mulling a new focus on watersheds, modelled after the grassroots Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) program. GRowing Outcomes in Watersheds (GROW) is one of three proposals within a new policy framework for water management the provincial government is seeking public input on. The government has released three major documents including one
U of M showcases alternative building materials
‘Hempcrete,’ soy-based roof panels and other Manitoba-grown biomass products are tested and evaluated at University of Manitoba’s Alternative Village
It looks like any other shipping container, but what’s inside could help boost food security in remote areas of the country one day. Biosystems engineers at the University of Manitoba are perfecting a self-contained unit which includes a biomass boiler that produces up to 56 kW of heat. The unit also has a Stirling engine
New report describes ‘three-tiered’ food system operating in Canada
A University of Guelph researcher takes a close look at Canada’s evolving alternative food market
Kelly Hodgins was selling garden produce at a B.C. farmers’ market in 2013 when she began noticing something was different about her customers. There were new faces arriving at the market. The province had introduced a new program making coupons available to lower-income families to shop B.C.’s well-established farmers’ markets. “It was kind of an
Province revamping community development programs
‘Single portal’ procedure should make applying for funding easier, AMM official says
The province has rolled out a simpler way for communities to apply for funding to support community economic development. Last week Indigenous and Municipal Relations Minister Eileen Clarke said the province is revamping its community development programs and has created a single-application process to apply for funding through programs including Community Places, Community Planning Assistance,
Spotted knapweed could do more harm than leafy spurge
The ISCM declared August Invasive Species Month and is highlighting the risks associated with the potential spread of spotted knapweed
The Invasive Species Council of Manitoba wants all Manitobans to be on the lookout for an invasive plant species now spreading across Manitoba that has the potential to do as much or more damage as leafy spurge. Spotted knapweed was first detected in southeastern Manitoba in 2009 but has more recently been found at sites
Manitoba Hydro awarded 3.36 per cent rate increase by PUB
Alternatives to rising cost of electricity need serious thought, says RM official
Municipal leaders say the 3.36 per cent interim rate increase granted Manitoba Hydro this month offers only temporary relief from higher energy costs and longer-term solutions are needed. “It’s certainly better than 7.9 per cent but it’s still an increase everyone is going to have to deal with,” said Randy Henuset, deputy reeve of the
New apple press starts operations near Winkler
Burwalde Juice Co. owner expects business to be brisk
A new Manitoba farm-based company offering apple pressing for backyard growers expects to start operations this week. Burwalde Juice Co., located on a farm north of Winkler, is the newest apple press providing cold-pressing, pasteurizing and bottling services to those who drop off loads of apples to be made into cider. They purchased the press
Brandon University launches new drone training
New course gives students opportunity to become certified drone pilots
Brandon University will be one of the first post-secondary institutions in Canada to offer an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) pilot ground school when it introduces a course credit for taking the program this fall. Pilot training schools now offer similar training but not university course credits. The new course will offer students everything they need
Dufferin’s tile drainage bylaw a ‘template’ for others
The Red River Basin Commission is currently guiding development of a tile drainage bylaw template based on the RM’s work
Rural municipalities are responsible for controlling drainage, and a few years ago the RM of Dufferin realized that needed to include tile drains. Former reeve, Shawn McCutcheon saw tiling becoming more widely adopted, and could see need for a made-in-Dufferin approach to managing it, said current reeve, George Gray. “We knew it was going to
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