…”Complete the Channel, Mr. Minister!”

You may understand what this has to do with flood mitigation after reading the recent communication from the Federal Government to the Province regarding the Lake Manitoba – Lake St Martin Channels project. It seems like each year we put our trust in getting the ball moving but each year the target moves.

Navigate to page and scroll down to Latest Update to read the response in its entirety.  https://iaac-aeic.gc.ca/050/evaluations/proj/80148 

The former government built a channel in the wrong location to do any good for the residents of Lake Manitoba using emergency measures as the flood destroyed homes, property and displaced many. The channel was never used for its intended purpose nor were ‘reaches’ activated to help seasonal flooding in such places as Dauphin River.

It is evident in this case that haste truly does make waste. However, now have slowed to a snail’s pace. There have been three photo ops announcing funding for the channels going back to 2019 yet nothing productive has happened after years of consultation. We have seen a succession of Ministers and their deputies come and go making continuity a challenge.  This communication from the Federal Government as accurate as it may be makes a mockery of a one-year environmental review given the fact that we are well past three years in real time. Yes, we understand that the ‘clock’ stops whenever investigation or research is required to address issues. But, at this rate it will be another three years plus before any work begins.

However, it is difficult to understand the lack of timely responses by Manitoba with issues that have previously been raised by Ottawa. Your executive met with Provincial planners in December 2019 and were briefed on these issues and assured that the information for most was readily available for an Environmental Impact Statement that is needed to licence the project. If it was available, why wasn’t it included in the initial statement? And after the countless meetings and consultations since, why have they chosen not to respond fully in the three years following? It is discouraging to think that paperwork is the roadblock to completing the project that all agree is vital for the protection of property owners.

The executive will continue to interact with government as it did in recent weeks past by suggesting that more water from the Assiniboine flow downstream to ease the flow diverted into Lake Manitoba. We advocated for adjustments at the Fairford Water Control System to increase outflows from the lake. The department understands, that without the channels, mitigation is limited and that wind events coupled with high water may be disastrous.