Publications
If Battery Storage Works in Ontario, Why Not in Manitoba?
Original op-ed published by Winnipeg Free Press | Monday, Jul. 13, 2026 | Image credit biletskiy Grid-scale battery storage has fundamentally changed the global energy landscape — and Manitoba needs to get on board. Battery systems store large amounts of excess electricity for when it’s most needed. While they can be charged from any generation source, they are especially beneficial for integrating wind and solar power, which vary with weather and time of day. Batteries allow electrical grids to meet the need for firm, dispatchable and affordable capacity using renewable energy, rather than...
Exporting LNG Through Churchill Would Be A Climate Disaster
Image credit: JoachimKohlerBremen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Key Points Prime Minister Mark Carney and Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew are pushing to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Churchill by 2030. LNG is extremely high-emitting due to a combination of widespread methane releases (both intentional and accidental), routine flaring, combustion of fossil gas by liquefaction facilities, and downstream consumption of the product. Liquefying and consuming fossil gas also produce considerable air pollutants, including nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, which contribute...
What is 50-50 Transit Funding—And How Much Might it Cost the Province?
There's been a lot of talk about the need for the Province to restore the 50-50 transit funding agreement. But what does this raffle-sounding policy actually mean? And how much might it cost the Province? The 50-50 funding agreement was a partnership between the Province and municipalities that operated transit systems, under which the Province would cover half of operating costs for conventional and accessible transit, after service revenues (mostly from fares) were deducted. Operating costs are the day-to-day expenses of running the transit system, primarily the salaries and benefits of...
The Immense Potential of Wind, Solar, and Storage in Manitoba
This brief outlines the opportunities for wind, solar, and energy storage to support a clean energy transition in Manitoba in the next five years and the decades to come.
Manitoba must expand sources of electricity generation to meet growing peak demand. This brief finds that Manitoba could meet its short-term demand requirements by building 600 megawatts (MW) of wind power and at least 200 MW of batteries to increase reliable power supply. To support electrification in the longer-term, Manitoba should build an average of at least 200 MW of wind, 160 MW of solar, and 80 MW of energy storage every year over the next 25 years.
Recommendations for a Strong Manitoba Climate Plan and Budget
This briefing provides high-level recommendations for Manitoba’s “Roadmap to Net-Zero” and specific recommendations for low-hanging climate investments in five major sectors: agriculture, transportation, buildings, industry and waste. It identifies existing budget lines or agencies that should receive additional funding in the 2026 provincial budget and in subsequent years. These recommendations build upon Climate Action Team’s (CAT) previous work in the Road to Resilience reports and should be seen as starting points for expanded funding and policies to be developed in subsequent years. In addition to the five priority policies suggested below, the Province should also make additional investments in renewable electricity generation, protection and restoration of ecosystems, impact assessment processes and emergency response systems. Improved coordination and oversight will be required through a Climate Emergency Secretariat or equivalent body.
Why Direct Air Capture Isn’t a Climate Solution for Manitoba
Direct air capture (DAC) is receiving considerable attention as a major carbon removal technology, with Manitoba Hydro projecting that it may account for almost 12 megatonnes (Mt) of removed CO2/yr by 2050—more than half of Manitoba’s total emissions in 2023. This briefing note examines the economics and feasibility of DAC, presenting five key concerns:
No large-scale proof of concept exists, with current projects small and plagued by
technical issues.
The technology has extremely high costs, relative to many other “safe-bet” climate mitigation options.
DAC consumes an enormous amount of energy, water and materials that will likely come at the expense of other uses and goals.
The technology’s economic feasibility relies on carbon offsets and commercial uses of CO2, undermining its contributions to rapid emissions reductions.
Public investment in DAC delays rapid and achievable decarbonization, consuming limited public resources and time to experiment with an unproven technology.
Connecting Communities: Strengthening Public Transportation Options in Rural Manitoba
Rural communities in Manitoba face significant transportation challenges, relying heavily on personal vehicles and friends for rides. This hinders medical care, economic growth, and community development. While some municipalities offer handi-van services for seniors and those with mobility needs, other groups, like low-income individuals and youth, often lack support.
Research from Manitoba’s Climate Action Team alongside the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has been compiled in our “Connecting Communities” report which includes an exploration of the positive outcomes of inter-community transportation demonstrated in Manitoba and in other jurisdictions, case studies from Ontario and Nova Scotia, results of a public consultation with rural Manitobans, and concludes with recommendations targeted at the provincial government.