Manitoba municipalities will now have the option to opt out of the province’s Plan 20-50, thanks to new legislation that was recently passed.
The legislation, known as Bill 37, was introduced by Municipal Relations Minister Rochelle Squires and received royal assent on Wednesday. It allows municipalities to choose whether or not they want to participate in Plan 20-50, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020 and 50% by 2050.
According to Squires, the decision to give municipalities the choice was made in response to concerns raised by local leaders about the potential financial burden of implementing the plan.
“We recognize that municipalities are facing unique challenges and we want to ensure that they have the flexibility to make decisions that are in the best interest of their communities,” Squires said in a statement.
Under the new legislation, municipalities will have until December 31, 2022 to decide whether or not they want to participate in Plan 20-50. If they choose to opt out, they will still be required to develop their own climate action plans that align with the province’s targets.
The decision to allow municipalities to opt out has been met with mixed reactions. While some local leaders are pleased with the flexibility, others are concerned about the potential impact on the province’s overall efforts to combat climate change.
Manitoba’s Climate and Green Plan, which includes Plan 20-50, was introduced in 2017 and has been praised by the federal government as a model for other provinces to follow. However, the plan has faced criticism for not being ambitious enough and for lacking concrete targets and timelines.
The province has defended its approach, stating that it is taking a balanced and realistic approach to reducing emissions while also considering the economic impact on industries such as agriculture and mining.
With the new legislation in place, it will be up to each municipality to decide how they want to contribute to the province’s overall climate goals. It remains to be seen how many will choose to opt out and what impact this will have on Manitoba’s efforts to combat climate change.
