A decade ago pig producers were stopped in their tracks.

The former NDP government banned the expansion of hog barns. Now that moratorium, in its’ entirety, is set to be overturned.

As part of a proposed law aimed at cutting red tape and regulation, the Pallister government is lifting the restrictions on hog barns.

Finance Minister Cameron Friesen said the legislation will help businesses like producers save time and money.

"They're spending too much of their time with unnecessary regulation or excessive regulation instead of doing the good work they want to do to,” Friesen said.

The Manitoba Pork Council welcomes the new law, saying the restrictions on operations caused a chill over the industry.

However, members of the former NDP government said the bill could bring harm to Lake Winnipeg and other water sources with the addition of more hogs.

“It's shocking that the government has decided to under the guise of cutting red tape to put Manitobans at risk,” said NDP critic Andrew Swan.

The province says all livestock producers will still have to submit annual soil testing and manure management plans, to ensure manure is only applied to appropriate lands at suitable rates.

"We're not standing up to be unsafe, we're talking about approaches that address the real regulatory burden in Manitoba,” Friesen said.