Peatland Mining in Manitoba’s Interlake: Cumulative impacts analysis focusing on potential nutrient loading and greenhouse gas emissions

This report analyzes the cumulative environmental impacts of expanding peat mining in Manitoba's Interlake. It finds that nutrient loading into Lake Winnipeg from these operations represents a small proportion of yearly loads, with phosphorus and nitrogen limits of 12 tonnes P yr-1 and 449 tonnes N yr-1 for all Manitoba lease holdings. Greenhouse gas emissions from land-use change are estimated to not exceed 0.4 million tonnes CO2e yr-1 for all current lease holdings within the province.

• Peat mining in Manitoba accounts for roughly 13 per cent of the horticulture peat production in Canada and has been active for more than 70 years.
• The expansion of peat mining in Manitoba's Interlake is projected to result in nutrient leaching from active mines of no more than 0.40 kg P ha-1 yr-1 and 15.00 kg N ha-1 yr-1. Total phosphorus and nitrogen loads to Lake Winnipeg from current lease holdings in the Interlake are estimated to not exceed 5.1 tonnes P yr-1 and 191 tonnes N yr-1, respectively. For all current lease holdings within Manitoba, these loads would not exceed 12 tonnes P yr-1 and 449 tonnes N yr-1, which the report describes as a small proportion of the lake's yearly loads.
• Greenhouse gas emissions resulting from land-use change in active Manitoba peat mines are estimated to not exceed 13.47 tonnes CO2e ha-1 yr-1. Total emissions from current lease holdings in the Interlake are projected to be no more than 0.17 million tonnes CO2e yr-1, while total emissions from all current lease holdings in Manitoba would not exceed 0.4 million tonnes CO2e yr-1.

APA

Venema,, K. L. ,. M. D. V. S. C. L. D. (2015). Peatland Mining in Manitoba’s Interlake: Cumulative impacts analysis focusing on potential nutrient loading and greenhouse gas emissions. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/peatland-mining-manitobas-interlake-cumulative-impacts-analysis-focusing

Chicago

Venema,, Kimberly Lewtas ,Matthew McCandless,Henry David Venema,Kyle Swystun,Xi Chen,Kimberly Lewtas,Henry David. Peatland Mining in Manitoba’s Interlake: Cumulative impacts analysis focusing on potential nutrient loading and greenhouse gas emissions. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2015. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/peatland-mining-manitobas-interlake-cumulative-impacts-analysis-focusing.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Venema, |first1=Kimberly Lewtas ,Matthew McCandless,Henry David Venema,Kyle Swystun,Xi Chen,Kimberly Lewtas,Henry David |title=Peatland Mining in Manitoba’s Interlake: Cumulative impacts analysis focusing on potential nutrient loading and greenhouse gas emissions |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=30 April 2015 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/peatland-mining-manitobas-interlake-cumulative-impacts-analysis-focusing |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{venema2015peatland, author = {Venema,, Kimberly Lewtas ,Matthew McCandless,Henry David Venema,Kyle Swystun,Xi Chen,Kimberly Lewtas,Henry David}, title = {{Peatland Mining in Manitoba’s Interlake: Cumulative impacts analysis focusing on potential nutrient loading and greenhouse gas emissions}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2015}, month = apr, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/peatland-mining-manitobas-interlake-cumulative-impacts-analysis-focusing}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }