Back grounder
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MANITOBA’S EMISSIONS FOR 2009
ARE PROJECTED TO BE 2.5 PER CENT LOWER THAN IN 2000
Manitoba’s annual greenhouse-gas emissions comprise only three per cent of Canada’s total
and the province has the lowest per-capita emissions in the prairie provinces. To curb the rise
in Manitoba’s emissions that occurred between 1990 and 2000, the Manitoba government is
investing in clean-energy projects promoting the sustainable management of natural
resources, and implementing programs and measures to help citizens, businesses and local
governments take action on climate change.
23
Megatonnes (Mt) of GHG Emissions
22
21
20
19
18
17
16
Manitoba's annual GHG emissions
2000 levels of GHG emissions
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
15
Year
* Manitoba's Emissions increased 14% from 1990 to 2000
Recognizing the value to the environment
Known as the ‘lungs of the earth,’ the boreal forest is a critically important carbon filter.
Manitoba’s efforts to protect and sustainably manage valuable forest resources have resulted
in large tracts of intact forest that absorb vast amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
every year. In 2008, forests in the province sequestered 8.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide
equivalent gasses, more than one-third of Manitoba’s total emissions that year. These
ecosystems play a significant role in the global efforts against climate change. Manitoba
recognizes the value of these landscapes and is enhancing approaches to resource
management to ensure the value of resources is maintained. Improved forest-management
practices and afforestation activities offer opportunities for Manitoba to increase the capacity of
provincial forests to sequester and store atmospheric carbon.
The Manitoba government has continually added to the network of protected areas and now
over six million hectares, equivalent to 9.9 per cent of Manitoba’s land area, is protected.
Nueltin Lake and Colvin Lake provincial parks have just been created and they have a
sequestration value estimated to be 126 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. These newly
protected areas store carbon that is equivalent to the emissions produced by 2.5 million cars
over a 10-year period.
...2
-2Manitoba is currently developing a Terrestrial Carbon Management Action Plan, which will
increase scientific knowledge of terrestrial carbon cycles, promote stewardship of terrestrial
carbon pools and incorporate an understanding of carbon sequestration into provincial
climate-change policy.
In 2008, the province committed to plant five million trees over five years through the Trees for
Tomorrow program, which will sequester more than one million tonnes of carbon dioxide
equivalent gases over the next 50 years. Approximately 2.5 million seedlings have been
planted throughout the province to date.
Investing in clean energy
Manitoba’s contribution to climate protection extends well beyond the province’s borders. In
2009, Manitoba Hydro’s clean-energy exports displaced over seven million tonnes of
emissions from coal and natural gas in other jurisdictions. These reductions represent twice
Manitoba’s required Kyoto target. Manitoba is further expanding clean energy through hydro
projects like the Wuskwatim Dam.
Growing hydro production
Manitoba already has 5,000 megawatts of hydroelectric generating capacity with the potential
to double this amount. In partnership with local Aboriginal communities, several new projects
are underway:

the 200-megawatt Wuskwatim hydro project is currently under construction, and

other generating stations are being developed to provide an additional 2,000 megawatts.
Wind energy leaders
A total of 63 wind turbines have been erected over a 93-square-kilometre area in St. Leon in
southwestern Manitoba, which are capable of delivering 99 megawatts of clean power.
Construction is moving forward on a 138-megawatt wind farm at St. Joseph, in south central
Manitoba. With 60 wind turbines covering 125 square kilometres, St. Joseph is the largest
wind farm scheduled to be built in Canada in 2010, generating enough power to meet the
needs of 50,000 homes. Manitoba Hydro displaces greenhouse-gas emissions in other
jurisdictions through its wind-energy exports. These are currently estimated at 260,000 tonnes
annually from the 99-megawatt wind farm in St. Leon and are expected to grow by an
additional 350,000 tonnes to a total of 610,000 tonnes annually following completion of the St.
Joseph project.
...3
-3Geothermal energy leaders
Manitobans are installing geothermal heating systems at more than three times the Canadian
average on a per-capita basis. A geothermal system installed in a typical Manitoba home will
reduce emissions by an average of five tonnes annually.
Investing in energy efficiency
Manitoba Hydro’s Power Smart energy conservation programs have already saved over
500 megawatts of electricity  the equivalent of one entire hydro dam  while removing
approximately one million tonnes of greenhouse-gas emissions. As a result, Manitoba was
awarded an A-plus in the Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance’s national report card on energy
efficiency.
The province also recently announced new building codes, which will reduce carbon-dioxide
emissions in an average home by more than one-half or about 1.25 tonnes per year.
Phasing out coal
The coal generating station in Selkirk has been converted to natural gas and Manitoba’s last
remaining coal plant in Brandon has been phased down to be used for emergency purposes
only, leading to greenhouse-gas reductions in excess of 350,000 tonnes.
Biofuels are reducing emissions and reducing fuel imports
Manitoba has an 8.5 per cent ethanol mandate in place and was the first province in Canada to
mandate the use of biodiesel, diversifying the provincial economy and reducing emissions from
the transportation sector. In 2010, Manitoba’s biofuels investments reduced greenhouse-gas
emissions by over 360,000 tonnes.
Managing landfill-gas emissions
Manitoba’s landfill-gas capture programs will allow the province’s largest landfills to make
significant reductions in the amount of greenhouse-gas emissions released. These projects
are expected to achieve 150,000 tonnes of reductions per year in 2012.