Manitoba investing $50M to clean up orphaned and abandoned mines

As part of its 2022 budget, the Manitoba government is investing $50.7 million to clean up orphaned and abandoned mines across the province.
Environment, Climate and Parks Minister Jeff Wharton announced the funding at a news conference on Tuesday, saying the investment will also be used to create a long-term care, maintenance and surveillance program for the rehabilitated mines.
“Manitoba is committed to ensuring a rapid pace of remediation efforts to ensure economic growth, environmental protection and human safety from high-risk mining legacy sites in our province,” Wharton said at the news conference.
The $50.7 million will go to the Orphaned and Abandoned Mines Rehabilitation Program over the next five years.
To date, this program has done remediation work at 39 high and moderate-risk sites. The work completed at these mines includes debris clean up, the installation of shaft caps, sealing mine openings, and the demolition and covering of tailings. These sites are now considered low risk and only require periodic monitoring.
According to the province, an orphaned and abandoned mine is one that is no longer in operation. In these situations, the owner either can’t be found or is unable to rehabilitate the site, so it becomes the province’s responsibility to clean it up.
“We recognize that these sites have created a substantial economic liability to our province,” the minister said.
“Without action, many of these sites pose a real and potential threat to environment and human safety and our health.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Mariupol fighters in Russian hands; both sides claim wins
Hundreds of Ukrainian fighters, including wounded men carried out on stretchers, left the vast steel plant in Mariupol where they mounted a dogged last stand and turned themselves over to Russian hands, signalling the beginning of the end of a siege that became a symbol of Ukraine's resistance to Moscow's invasion.

Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner carjacked at gunpoint outside Toronto movie theatre
Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner was the victim of an armed carjacking outside a movie theatre in Etobicoke on Monday night, the club confirmed on Tuesday.
Prince Charles and Camilla kick off three-day Canadian tour in St. John's today
Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, are in Newfoundland and Labrador's capital today to begin a three-day Canadian tour focused on Indigenous reconciliation and climate change.
Queen makes surprise appearance to mark new London subway line
Queen Elizabeth II made a surprise visit Tuesday to a train station in central London to see a newly completed subway line named in her honour. The 96-year-old monarch, who has reduced most of her public engagements, appeared Tuesday at Paddington Station.
Top 6 moments from the 2022 Ontario election debate
Ontario’s four main party leaders were relatively civil as they sparred at Monday night’s televised election debate in Toronto.
Confusion over RCMP leadership roles marked early investigation of N.S. mass shooting
When a man disguised as a Mountie started killing people in northern Nova Scotia two years ago, there was considerable confusion over who was in charge of the RCMP operation, newly released documents show.
Kenney visits Washington, pushing stronger energy ties between Alberta and U.S.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney begins his two-day blitz in Washington today, hoping to convince U.S. lawmakers his province is best positioned to strengthen North American energy security.
Canadian Blood Services issues urgent call for donors as inventory falls
Canadian Blood Services has issued an immediate call for donors in light of a recent lull in attendance and rising cancellations.
Twitch, a live-streaming giant, comes under scrutiny after Buffalo shooting
Twitch, the livestreaming giant popular among video gamers, has been thrust into the national spotlight after the suspect in the Buffalo grocery store mass shooting tried to broadcast the attack on the platform.