$20M in federal funding to help improve Manitoba’s winter roads

Sea Falls Ice Crossing is pictured in a file photo (CTV News Winnipeg)

The federal government is providing up to $20 million in funding to help upgrade and improve Manitoba’s winter roads.

Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu announced the funding at a meeting on Thursday, saying the money will be provided over four years beginning in 2024.

Hajdu added the funding will be guided through the input of First Nations communities to ensure the delivery of essential goods and items.

“Climate change is being felt throughout Canada. Perhaps nowhere is that more acute than the impact it is having on winter roads, which are a lifeline for many Indigenous communities in the North,” Hajdu said in a news release.

“The challenge of adapting to unpredictable winter road seasons is huge, but we continue to be there for First Nations to work on adaptive strategies as they continue to prepare for the upcoming season.”

The Government of Canada noted that winter roads are an important lifeline for remote First Nations as they allow the delivery of essential goods and services during the colder months.

The federal government said it is committed to integrating the knowledge and experience of First Nation leaders into winter road planning, adding that this approach will improve the sustainability of the winter road network.