October 21, 2005

As part of Waste Reduction Week in Manitoba ending Sunday, Conservation Minister Stan Struthers and Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Minister Oscar Lathlin acknowledged the continuing success of the initiative to recycle tons of scrap metal from northern Manitoba and Nunavut.

“We have created a very successful program and community partnerships that are removing these public eyesores, such as old vehicles, appliances and other environmental hazards, in a productive manner,” said Struthers.

In 2004, over 36,000 pounds of scrap metal were shipped from Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, to Churchill and 1,188 tons were shipped from Gillam. The scrap was then moved by rail and truck to Mandak Metals in Selkirk for processing and recycling. In 2005, approximately 1,300 tons of scrap metal are expected to be cleaned up from the communities of Churchill, Rankin Inlet and Coral Harbour.

The initiative is a result of the memorandum of understanding signed between Manitoba and Nunavut in 2000. The agreement identified a number of areas of interest including transportation, mining, energy, health, tourism, cultural development, arts and crafts, value-added processing, resource development, trade and commerce, regional and community economic development, and education.

“The removal of the scrap metal is both an environmental protection measure and a potential local economic development opportunity,” said Lathlin. “Communities are using this program to develop new ideas that will reduce the impact of human activity on the environment.”

Funding for the project in partnership with the local communities was provided by the Waste Reduction and Pollution Prevention (WRAPP) Fund, Manitoba Aboriginal and Northern Affairs, the Government of Nunavut, Manitoba Hydro, Churchill Gateway Development Corp., Environment Canada and Natural Resources Canada. Project management services are provided by North Central Development in Thompson.

The WRAPP Fund supports improved waste reduction and pollution prevention practices in Manitoba. Priority areas are organic waste management and composting, construction and demolition waste management, pollution prevention, and model- integrated waste management system development and planning.

The WRAPP Fund is a targeted funding program under the Sustainable Development Innovations Fund (SDIF). More than 120 projects totalling over $2 million have been supported through the WRAPP fund since its creation in 2000.

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