July 12, 2021
Province Provides Almost $6 Million to Watershed Districts Program
The Manitoba government will provide $5.873 million, an increase of $353,000 over previous years, to support watershed districts, Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen announced today.
“Our government recognizes the tremendous value watershed districts provide, and the role they play in building climate resiliency and delivering GROW,” said Pedersen. “We are showing our support through this increase in funding, which will allow districts to expand into municipalities that are not currently participating in the program.”
Manitoba’s Watershed Districts Program (previously Conservation Districts) is one of the most successful land and water conservation partnerships in Canada. Watershed districts are formed as a partnership between the province and local municipalities to protect, restore and manage land and water resources on a watershed basis. Currently, there are 14 watershed districts established under the Watershed Districts Act covering the majority of municipal Manitoba. Core funding is provided to the 14 watershed districts through a provincial-municipal cost share where every three dollars provincial funding provided leverages an additional one dollar match from member municipalities. This grant also provides funding for watershed management planning in Manitoba, led by watershed districts. Each district is charged with developing and implementing programming to improve local watershed health.
The additional $353,000 provided this year will aid in expansion efforts in the Pembina River Watershed District and the Redboine Watershed District, further filling in gaps of municipal membership in the program. The department is working with the Pembina Valley and Redboine watershed districts and municipalities to develop proposals outlining future membership in the program. An amended regulation will be required to formalize the membership, which is anticipated for March 31, 2022, the minister noted.
“Pembina Valley Watershed District (PVWD) welcomes this opportunity for additional municipalities to join the Watershed Districts Program,” said Bill Howatt, chair, PVWD. “The program allows municipalities to work together on natural resource issues using a watershed-based approach and will also allow producers to access voluntary funding opportunities available through watershed districts, such as the newly created GROW Trust. The GROW Trust is a game-changer, providing funding for producers to improve their sustainable farm management practices and recognizing their contributions to healthy watersheds.”
This funding builds on the increase of $205,000 in 2020-21, which helped expand the Assiniboine West and Central Assiniboine watershed districts into three new municipal areas including Whitehead, Elton, and North Cypress Langford. There are a total of 105 member municipalities currently in the voluntary program.
“Redboine Watershed District (RBWD) is pleased to see the Watershed Districts Program expanding across the province," said Marshall Piper, chair, RBWD. “We are excited for the opportunity to work with additional municipal partners in our watershed.”
The modernization of the Watershed District Program and the new mandate of districts to deliver Growing Outcomes in Watersheds (GROW) has led to renewed interest from non-member municipalities to join the program.
The Manitoba government has invested more than $200 million in the new Conservation and GROW trusts. Funding through the Conservation and GROW trusts is helping watershed districts deliver conservation programming across Manitoba to improve water quality, biodiversity and habitat, and watershed resilience to the impacts of a changing climate, Pedersen said, adding that watershed districts are the delivery agents for GROW.
For more information, visit www.manitobawatersheds.ca.
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