Publications

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.

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.

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.

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.