Land Access and Sustainable Development

Network of Protected Areas

Land Use and Tenure Manitoba contains large tracts of land that contain high mineral potential. Mineral exploration is encouraged and protected by government policy, practices, and regulations that address the issues of land access, stability of the permitting process, and security of tenure for valid mineral dispositions.

Related Link Protected Areas Initiative

Manitoba’s Provincial Planning Regulation provides comprehensive policy and legal protection for Manitoba’s mineral resources.

The Sustainable Development Mineral Strategy, as outlined in the Manitoba Government's report Applying Manitoba’s Mineral Policies, defines the concept of sustainable development for Manitoba’s mining sector and provides an approved management framework for implementation.

Network of Special Places

There are several types of provincial Crown land encumbrances that restrict or prohibit mineral exploration and future mine development. When investigating potential exploration sites contact Mines Branch for assistance in screening potential land use restrictions.

National Parks

Riding Mountain, Wapusk and the proposed Manitoba Lowlands National Park protect representative examples of Manitoba’s landscape and mineral exploration and mine development have been legally banned.

Ecological Reserves

Ecological Reserves protect critical habitat, endangered plant and animal species, and representative natural landscapes. In national parks mineral exploration and development is not permitted within an ecological reserve.

Provincial Parks

A new system plan for managing land use activities within provincial parks has recently been adopted. Mining activity is not permitted within Wilderness Parks or wilderness, backcountry or heritage land use categories. Natural parks and other land use categories are mutliple-use lands and allow mining activity.

Heritage Sites

Designated heritage sites protect the tangible and intangible aspects of our natural and cultural past from prehistory to present and include artifacts, documents, sites, properties and structures. Since 1991 Manitoba has designated 46 heritage sites bringing the total to 140. Mineral exploration is not legally permitted within lands designated as a heritage site.

Wildlife Management

Wildlife lands are designated for the management, conservation and protection of habitat and wildlife resources. Most wildlife management areas contain multiple use lands and accommodate mineral exploration. Currently all wildlife management areas are being assessed for their suitability to be nominated as endangered spaces.

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