Manitoba’s Path to Net Zero: A blueprint for a sustainable and secure provincial economy

Winnipeg, Oct 6. —  A low-carbon future for Manitoba means more dollars spent growing the local economy with renewable power and less money spent out of province on fossil fuel imports. Manitoba’s Path to Net Zero, released today, embraces the shift to an innovative, affordable, low-carbon economy with low-cost energy, built through meaningful partnerships with Indigenous Peoples. All Manitobans stand to benefit.

The provincial government’s plan puts climate change at the centre of decision-making by establishing a Climate Change Committee of Cabinet. Across the provincial economy, the plan creates a path to improve sustainability across public operations, strengthen climate legislation, and ease the process for communities to access net-zero funding. For workers, it lays out promising strategies for innovation and youth employment programming. 

Headquartered in Winnipeg with a long tradition of advising provincial policymaking through the IISD-MB workplan agreement, IISD has for more than 20 years provided the Manitoba government, and all Manitobans, with research and recommendations on net-zero approaches for energy, water, transportation, buildings, agriculture, and land-use planning. Positive collaboration between policy-makers and civil society experts shows how an affordable, competitive, and decarbonized economy of the future can support the province’s long-term prosperity.

“Manitoba’s Path to Net Zero establishes a framework to build a more ambitious low-carbon provincial economy and support energy affordability for Manitobans. Moving forward, it is imperative for the provincial government to anchor its progress in implementation plans that will translate into results.” 

Philip Gass, Director, Energy Program, Just Transitions and Canada

The success of this plan hinges on its next steps. While its attention to buildings and municipal land use is welcome, the provincial government must commit to detailed implementation plans to maximize these benefits. Similar considerations in other sectors will help Manitoba become the home of decarbonized industries and jobs of the future.

Also worth noting are the plan’s references to carbon capture and storage (CCS). IISD research has shown this technology to be an expensive attempt at emissions reductions. As the provincial government develops its CCS regulations, it must ensure this technology does not detract from promising investment opportunities and emissions reductions elsewhere.

“There is a clear economic case for making Manitoba the home of innovation in a decarbonized future. With this plan, and with its affordable and clean energy profile, Manitoba is announcing its economic ambition with sustainable outcomes to match.”

Patricia Fuller, IISD President and CEO 

With this plan and further improvements to it, the provincial government is taking an important step toward a growing low-carbon provincial economy that protects Manitobans and the land they cherish.