Phosphorus

The protection of Lake Winnipeg has been identified as a key commitment of Manitoba's new government in the October 2023 mandate letters issued by Premier Wab Kinew.

Mandate letters outline the premier’s expectations for each cabinet minister, including government priorities they are to focus on and specific objectives they are to accomplish.

Environment and Climate Change Minister Tracy Schmidt has been directed to “Work with experts and scientists to protect Lake Winnipeg and safeguard the health of all our waterways.”

Minister Lisa Naylor, who leads the departments of Transportation and...

For years, successive provincial governments have ignored the phosphorus pollution released by Winnipeg’s North End Water Pollution Control Centre (NEWPCC). This provincial election, join us in calling for phosphorus compliance at Winnipeg’s largest sewage treatment plant.

Excess phosphorus is the cause of harmful algal blooms on Lake Winnipeg – and NEWPCC is the single largest point source of phosphorus flowing into the lake. In 2005, the province set a phosphorus limit of 1.0 mg/L in NEWPCC’s operating licence. Almost 20 years later, NEWPCC remains non-compliant with this limit – and two...

On Aug. 16, three levels of government announced a total of $552 million in funding for the Phase 2 Biosolids Facilities Project at Winnipeg’s North End Water Pollution Control Centre (NEWPCC).

The new biosolids facility at the north end sewage treatment plant is the city’s No. 1 infrastructure priority according to the 2020 Infrastructure Plan – replacing end-of-life infrastructure and enabling continued population growth.

Earlier this summer, after years of advocacy from LWF members, city officials updated the design for the biosolids facility, increasing digester capacity in order to...