IISD’s Response to Manitoba’s Proposed New Water Rights Regulations to Protect Wetlands and Make Drainage More Sustainable in the Province

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides a response to proposed drainage regulations by the Government of Manitoba. While the government aims for 'no net loss of wetland benefits', IISD argues that the proposed regulations would roll back protections for temporary wetlands (Classes 1 and 2) and enable the drainage of permanent wetlands (Classes 3, 4, and 5) through payment or purchase options, which IISD claims would make the 'no net loss' goal impossible to achieve.

• IISD asserts that the proposed regulations under the revised Water Rights Act would reduce protections for temporary wetlands (Classes 1 and 2) via a simplified registration process and allow the drainage of permanent wetlands (Classes 3, 4, and 5) through 'pay, purchase or perform options', which would prevent the province from achieving a no net loss of wetland benefits.
• IISD recommends strengthening protections for Class 3, 4, and 5 wetlands, specifically arguing that compensation should not allow the drainage of one wetland in exchange for the 'permanent legal protection' of another, and that no licences should be issued for the drainage of Class 4 and 5 wetlands because proposed compensation ratios cannot replace their benefits.
• Regarding subsurface tile drainage (Class B), IISD recommends that all new projects require a drainage licence rather than simple registration, that regulations mandate closure dates for control structures to mitigate spring flooding and water quality issues, and that existing licensed tile drains be evaluated for their impact on watersheds and ecoregions.
• IISD suggests that any culvert changes (Class D) that increase flow must require approval from downstream landowners, noting that 10 successive replacements of 15 per cent could quadruple peak flow.
• To ensure successful implementation, IISD advises the Government of Manitoba to make all drainage permit applications public online and to establish monitoring mechanisms, including a provincial wetland inventory and a public report on cumulative impacts and net wetland benefits every five years.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). IISD’s Response to Manitoba’s Proposed New Water Rights Regulations to Protect Wetlands and Make Drainage More Sustainable in the Province. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd-response-manitoba-regulations-drainage.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. IISD’s Response to Manitoba’s Proposed New Water Rights Regulations to Protect Wetlands and Make Drainage More Sustainable in the Province. n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd-response-manitoba-regulations-drainage.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=IISD’s Response to Manitoba’s Proposed New Water Rights Regulations to Protect Wetlands and Make Drainage More Sustainable in the Province |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd-response-manitoba-regulations-drainage.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentndiisds, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{IISD’s Response to Manitoba’s Proposed New Water Rights Regulations to Protect Wetlands and Make Drainage More Sustainable in the Province}}, publisher = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/iisd-response-manitoba-regulations-drainage.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }