Manitobans Care About Impact Assessment
-FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-
[Oct 30, 2025 – Winnipeg / Treaty 1 Territory and Homeland of the Métis Nation]
Manitobans care about impact assessment and they know how to make the process better according to a new report, Putting People and the Planet First: What Manitobans Expect from Impact Assessment, which engaged with nearly 500 Manitobans to identify community priorities for impact assessment reform.
When a major development, like a quarry or new industrial site is proposed in a community, residents understandably want to know how it could affect their health, land, water, and way of life.
This is when an impact assessment is needed. Assessments help governments, communities, and developers make informed, evidence-based decisions that reduce harm and support positive outcomes for people and the environment.
“We heard clearly from Manitobans that they expect the protection of people and the environment through a robust provincial impact assessment process,” said Dr. Patricia Fitzpatrick, co-author and University of Winnipeg Department of Geography professor.
“Our data shows that Manitobans have great ideas about the future of impact assessment in Manitoba and are eager to share their thoughts on how to strengthen provincial protections,” said co-author and Manitoba Eco-Network Policy Advocacy Director Heather Fast.
Earlier this year, Fast and Fitzpatrick ran a public engagement study as a part of the Empowering the Community: Impact Assessment Reform in Manitoba project. Both urban and rurally based Manitobans participated in the study through a variety of methods, including:
- 370 Manitobans completed an online survey that was open from March 11 to April 2, 2025, with representation from virtually every region of the province;
- 56 individuals participated in three different in-person public workshops, held across Manitoba in Brandon, The Pas, and Winnipeg in April 2025; and,
- 13 individuals attended a workshop to engage with experts in the field, held in Winnipeg in June 2025, with four further written submissions being received.
From the results of the survey and workshops, key themes emerged that highlight the priorities of Manitobans:
- broadening the scope of impact assessment by expanding the range of potential effects examined and types of projects assessed,
- making space for Indigenous-led assessment and traditional knowledge, and the inclusion of Indigenous Rights-Holders,
- enabling more opportunities for meaningful public engagement,
- improving post-approval practices, including enforcement of legal requirements and licensing conditions, tracking and collecting additional data, independent and unbiased monitoring and reporting, and building public trust in Manitoba’s impact assessment process.
“Suggestions included better analysis of cumulative impacts, better incorporation of Indigenous Traditional Knowledge, and the use of intersectional analysis,” said Fast.
“It was also suggested that Indigenous guardianship programs could play a vital role in identifying potential impacts, across all of the identified areas,” said Fitzpatrick.
“Workshop participants also identified the need to consider if owners of polluting projects can pay for cleanup costs when the project is completed or abandoned,” said Fast.
The report makes three primary recommendations to the Manitoba Government:
- Engage with Indigenous rights-holders to identify meaningful reforms to impact assessment processes;
- Meaningfully engage with the public to identify public interests and impact assessment reform priorities; and
- Develop and introduce reforms based on the feedback on Manitobans.
With the passage of the One Canadian Economy Act, there is a federal focus on “projects of national interest” and harmonizing federal and provincial assessment processes.
“The Government of Manitoba needs to step up and ensure provincial requirements are modernized; Manitobans want to make sure we minimize any negative social, cultural and biophysical impact of new developments. There is also a need to ensure all levels of government are working together to ensure effective and efficient impact assessments,” said Fitzpatrick.
“The Government of Manitoba will also need to invest more in the Departments responsible for undertaking impact assessments and enforcing license conditions if we are to achieve the level of protection that Manitobans expect and deserve,” said Fast.
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CONTACT:
James Beddome
Executive Director, Manitoba Eco-Network
204-995-2637
executivedirector@mbeconetwork.org
The full report can be found at the following url: https://mbeconetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-IA-Reform-Report-FINAL-single-pages.pdf
Images of individual charts and figures in the report are available to the media upon request.
More information about the project can be found at: https://mbeconetwork.org/what-we-do/impact-assessment/
Our project Fact Sheets (including select options in French) can be found at:
https://mbeconetwork.org/what-we-do/impact-assessment/fact-sheets/
Our project research memos can be found at:
https://mbeconetwork.org/what-we-do/impact-assessment/research-memos/
Impact Assessment Reform Project Overview
In partnership with the University of Winnipeg and the Public Interest Law Centre, the Manitoba Eco-Network created the Empowering the Community: Impact Assessment Reform in Manitoba project. This project is focused on gathering Manitoban’s insights on our current process under The Environment Act and identifying community priorities for impact assessment reform.
Funding for this project has been provided by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (892-2024-1048) and the Manitoba Law Foundation.
What is Impact Assessment?
Impact assessment (often called environmental assessment) is a process through which government decision-makers try to understand the possible impacts of a development project before irreversible steps are taken. It is an opportunity to “look before we leap.”
Projects — such as building new roads, mines or wind farms — have both positive and negative impacts. They may improve access to resources. They may create jobs. They may produce energy. They can also cause harm: to the environment, to people, to communities, or to economies.
An impact assessment helps us understand the different possible outcomes before they start. In doing so, it allows us to plan ways to avoid, or reduce the negative impacts — and enhance the positive outcomes. There are many different things that may be considered as part of an impact assessment. In Manitoba, the provincial impact assessment process is set out under The Environment Act.
About the Manitoba Eco-Network
The Manitoba Eco-Network is a non-profit registered charity which seeks to strengthen Manitoba’s environmental community with the goal of protecting our environment for the benefit of current and future generations. The Eco-Network facilitates connections, engages in advocacy opportunities, and undertakes community-based research that promotes meaningful public participation in environmental governance processes.
We serve as an umbrella for environmental non-governmental organizations across the province. We build capacity and support grassroots organization’s participation in the environmental community, we celebrate positive environmental actions that happen within Manitoba, and work to elevate the voices of all those within our community.
About the Public Interest Law Centre of Legal Aid Manitoba
The Public Interest Law Centre represents groups and individuals on issues affecting the environment, human rights, Indigenous people, consumers and low-income persons. We are here to assist those who are far too often silenced in legal and public policy debates by providing high quality, evidence based advocacy.
About the University of Winnipeg Department of Geography
The University of Winnipeg is a public research university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It offers undergraduate programs in art, business, economics, education, science and applied health as well as graduate programs. The University’s founding colleges were Manitoba College and Wesley College, which merged to form United College in 1938. The University of Winnipeg was established in 1967 when United College received its charter.
The Geography Department at the University of Winnipeg is a relatively large department, with faculty members who are trained in virtually all of the major fields of study. Course offerings large enough to offer both broad selection and the opportunity to develop specialization in an area of particular interest. The laboratory facilities are among the best in Canada. In addition to geomorphology, geology and soils labs, the Department has excellent facilities for the study of Remote Sensing, Cartography and Geographic Information Systems through 3 computers labs.
About the Project Team
Dr. Patricia Fitzpatrick
Patricia Fitzpatrick (she/her) is a Professor in the Department of Geography, and an Instructor in the Master’s of Development Practice – Indigenous Focus – at the University of Winnipeg. Dr. Fitzpatrick’s research and teaching focuses on environmental governance surrounding energy and mineral development in Canada. As part of this work she has been involved in 27 project-specific, and one regional impact assessments. Dr. Fitzpatrick currently serves as the co-chair of the Technical Advisory Committee on Science and Knowledge for the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada.
Heather Fast
Heather Fast (she/her) is the part-time Policy Advocacy Director of the Manitoba Eco-Network, a non-profit environmental organization in Winnipeg. She is a Ph.D Candidate at the University of Manitoba’s Natural Resources Institute studying ways to improve public access to environmental justice. She also teaches as a sessional instructor at the Faculty of Law (Environmental Law) at the University of Manitoba. Before she returned to Grad School, Heather practised law in Manitoba, receiving her Call to the Bar in 2014. During this time, she worked at a variety of organizations including the Public Interest Law Centre and the Manitoba Law Reform Commission.
Katrine Dilay
Katrine Dilay (she/her) is a staff lawyer with the Public Interest Law Centre of Legal Aid Manitoba, where she has worked since 2015. In her work, she has represented consumer organizations, disability groups and equality seeking groups, as well as First Nations political organizations. Katrine practises mostly in the areas of consumer rights, human rights and environmental law. She has appeared before multiple administrative tribunals, the Manitoba Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada.
