Latest news with #AssociationofManitobaMunicipalities
Winnipeg Free Press
01-05-2025
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
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.' Mark Hoffman/MCT The Manitoba government is investing $540,000 to help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species like zebra mussels in the province's waterways. 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. During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. '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 RutgersReporter Julia-Simone Rutgers is the Manitoba environment reporter for the Free Press and The Narwhal. She joined the Free Press in 2020, after completing a journalism degree at the University of King's College in Halifax, and took on the environment beat in 2022. Read more about Julia-Simone. Julia-Simone's role is part of a partnership with The Narwhal, funded by the Winnipeg Foundation. Every piece of reporting Julia-Simone produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
CBC
15-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Manitoba municipalities demand bail reform from next federal government
Municipal leaders in Manitoba say they're fed up with a bail system they argue is too lenient — and they want whoever forms the next federal government to fix it. Elected officials from three communities took the microphone at an Association of Manitoba Municipalities news conference Tuesday and shared examples of crimes allegedly committed by suspects released on bail. Portage la Prairie Mayor Sharilyn Knox spoke of Kellie Verwey, who was killed earlier this year by an alleged drunk driver who had a warrant out for his arrest. Verwey was the city's economic development officer. "This tragedy has affected me deeply, not only in my role as mayor, but as a member of my community who knew the victim, saw the pain first-hand and, as a leader, carries the weight of that loss," Knox said. There's a growing sense among Manitobans that dangerous individuals are receiving more chances than they deserve, she said. "We will not stop speaking out. We will not stop pushing for change." Lac du Bonnet Reeve Loren Schinkel, a retired police officer, has seen the policing profession change over the decades. These days, he's heard that officers are devoting too much time rearresting people who were recently released from custody. Bail "protects the presumption of innocence," Schinkel said, "but the balance is way off." Brandon Coun. Bruce Luebke said the city's police force has laid nearly 3,300 charges related to bail violations over a three-year period, in a city of roughly 51,000 people. Many residents "have commented to me about how they adjust their life based on whether they feel safe to go out at a specific time or to a specific place," he said. "These are not how our residents should have to live their everyday lives." Municipal officials, speaking during a break in the Association of Manitoba Municipalities' spring convention in Winnipeg, say the current federal election is an opportunity to make their case. Too many released: former officer Schinkel said he'd entertain any election promises that vow to make criminals "more accountable" for their actions. "I think there's an onus when it comes to public safety across Canada that's been missed by the previous government, quite frankly," he said. AMM president Kathy Valentino said "our message is clear: we want the promise to be a change in bail reform, and we want municipalities with their stories to be at the table to make it be the right change." Last week, security footage circulated online of armed people in a farmyard close to MacGregor, Man. While it's not known if the suspects were out on bail, a string of crimes reported at a few properties has put area residents on high alert. Last week, Manitoba Justice Minister Matt Wiebe highlighted more than $5 million the government has recently committed to address rural crime issues. Some of the funding will support an RCMP unit that uses specialized training and equipment to resolve high-risk situations. On Tuesday, Wiebe reaffirmed the province's demand for bail reform. Justice ministers across the country wrote to Prime Minister Mark Carney in March to call on him to act.
