Manitoba’s vast peatlands are considered the province’s best natural defense against global warming, as they absorb a tremendous amount of climate-changing carbon. When peatlands are bulldozed, drained and harvested, they release the carbon being stored.

The Manitoba government’s own peatland mining report, commissioned and completed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, showed there was no adequate strategy to mitigate the release of carbon from peat mining.

“There is only one way to keep Manitoba peat from accelerating climate change: leave the peat in the ground,” said Eric Reder, Manitoba Campaign Director for the Wilderness Committee.

The Manitoba NDP government implemented a moratorium on peat mining on new quarry leases in the province in 2011 under the Save Lake Winnipeg Act. Since then new legislation has put new limitations on peat mining. Many peat leases were cancelled. The new peat expansion at Sunterra is being permitted because it is situated on old quarry leases.

View March 25, 2015 Wilderness Committee media release
View March 25, 2015 Winnipeg Free Press article
View March 1, 2013 Winnipeg Free Press article
View February 23, 2013 Winnipeg Free Press article
View February 2, 2012 CBC News article