Progressive Conservative leader Brian Pallister made official Monday what Manitobans have known for months: voters will go to the polls on Sept. 10 to elect a provincial government.

With a visit to the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, Pallister officially launched the election campaign in the province.

“Just came back from visiting her honour, the lieutenant governor, and I’ve asked her to dissolve the legislature and issue the writs of election for Tuesday, September 10,” said Pallister behind the Manitoba Legislative Building, where he was joined by other PC candidates.

Under provincial law, election campaigns must be a minimum of 28 days. Monday marks the second last day the election could’ve been called.

The election was to be held Oct. 6, 2020, but earlier this year Pallister moved up the date by more than a year.

Pallister also released what his party is calling a ‘Moving Manitoba Forward Guarantee’.

“Our vision for Manitoba is clear, Progressive Conservatives want a Manitoba that is more affordable, more secure and more prosperous for us all,” said Pallister, announcing

The announcement outlined commitments in five areas, including to lower taxes, to build new schools sooner and a health care funding guarantee.

“We have moved forward in fixing our finances, repairing our services, and growing our economy, forward in bringing down healthcare wait times, but we'll make them even lower, forward in lowering taxes, but we'll make them lower too,” said Pallister.

While the campaign was only made official Monday, all of Manitoba’s major parties have been active for weeks with policy and platform announcements.

Emergency rooms promise

Monday morning, NDP leader Wab Kinew continued his campaign with a promise to improve health care and reverse some changes from the Pallister government health care overhaul.

“I am committing to reopening the emergency rooms at Concordia and Seven Oaks hospitals and adding more beds across Winnipeg so Manitobans can get health care closer to home,” said Kinew, joined by supporters near the Concordia Hospital.

Kinew launched his official campaign platform last week, with a focus on health care and investments in infrastructure, while maintaining the current timeline to balance the budget.

‘Boldest’ plan for climate change

Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont has promised to invest in art and culture, save Lake Winnipeg, and bring forward a ‘stabilized’ health plan.

“We're willing to do what it takes to fix Lake Winnipeg, what it takes to act on climate change and we have by far the boldest and most detailed climate change plan of any party, that will make Manitoba carbon neutral by 2030, while growing the economy,” said Lamont, joined by supporters and other Liberal candidates outside the legislative building.

So far, the NDP and the Green Party have released broad stroke versions of their official campaign platforms, the Liberals and PCs have not.

-With files from The Canadian Press and CTV News’ Megan Benedictson