On January 1st, 2020, Manitoba’s 18 Conservation Districts became 14 Watershed Districts with the proclamation of the Watershed Districts Act.
This legislation brings important changes into effect for Manitoba’s Watershed Districts. As described by the Province of Manitoba, The Watershed Districts Act has:
Moved the districts to watershed-based boundaries to improve management of floods, droughts, and water quality;
Renamed Manitoba’s “Conservation Districts” as “Watershed Districts” to emphasize their mandate; and
Allowed Watershed Districts to form partnerships with non-municipal entities, including Indigenous nations, to enhance watershed management.
For 48 years, Manitoba’s Conservation Districts have collaborated with farmers, landowners, communities, non-profits, and local, provincial, federal, and Indigenous governments to protect Manitoba’s watersheds. The Watershed Districts Act empowers the new Watershed Districts to take the next steps to build Manitoba’s resilience to floods, droughts, climate change, nutrient loading, and more.
In addition to the new legislation, Manitoba’s Watershed Districts have access to new resources to get more done on the landscape. Watershed Districts are key delivery agents for the Conservation Trust created in 2018 and are currently the sole delivery agents of the Growing Outcomes in Watersheds (GROW) Program announced in 2019.
In line with the transition to Watershed Districts, the Manitoba Conservation Districts Association (MCDA) has updated its logo and changed its name to the Manitoba Association of Watersheds. MAW will continue its mandate to support Manitoba’s Watershed Districts by telling their success stories, working on public policy issues, coordinating joint projects, hosting the annual Manitoba Watersheds Conference, and more.
MAW thanks its 14 Watershed District members, their 104 municipal partners, the Province of Manitoba, and our other valued partners for their continued collaboration to protect Manitoba’s watersheds.
For more information, contact MAW by email at manitobawatersheds.org/contact or by mail:
Manitoba Association of Watersheds
1765 Sargent Avenue, Unit 200
Winnipeg, MB R3H 0C6
Phone numbers for the chair and staff members are available on request.
More information and a map of the new boundaries can be found here.
