Wednesday, February 4, 2026
The province of Manitoba is investing $250,000 to explore establishment of a national marine conservation area (NMCA) in western Hudson Bay.
The initiative would protect one of the world’s most ecologically significant marine environments while supporting sustainable economic development and northern tourism, a provincial government release said.
“As we move forward on the Port of Churchill Plus project, we are working with Indigenous communities, local leadership, the federal government and environmental groups like Oceans North and Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) Manitoba, to protect the wildlife, the culture and the future of northern communities. Together, we can build a future where conservation and economic opportunity go hand in hand in Manitoba’s north,” Manitoba premier Wab Kinew said.
The federal government had previously flagged the Port of Churchill Plus project as a possible upgrade of the current port to a year-round, multi-commodity hub.
The Manitoba government’s investment of $50,000 and $200,000 of in-kind support will enable work with strategic partners to explore the possibility of establishing an NMCA alongside existing tourism and industry operations at the port, the release said.
Canadian marine conservation organization Oceans North joined the premier in Churchill to announce it would invest $1 million to support community engagement, scientific research and capacity building related to the NMCA initiative.
“The premier’s emphasis on balance matters. A feasibility study creates the space to do the work properly, grounded in evidence, respect of rights, and shaped with local and northern leadership. If Manitoba is serious about balanced development, this is exactly the kind of step that puts that principle into action,” Oceans North vice-president of policy development and counsel Christopher Debicki said.
“We are not here to just be participants in a process, we are here to be leaders in stewarding Kischikamee (western Hudson Bay). The establishment of a potential NMCA would be another step in our major efforts to increase our presence on our coastal traditional territory, strengthening the relationship that we have had with these lands and waters since time immemorial,” York Factory First Nation Chief Darryl Wastesicoot added.
