Sustainable Resource Management Branch

Principles and Guidelines of Sustainable Development

Principles:
1. Integration of Environmental and Economic Decisions
1(1) Economic decisions should adequately reflect environmental, human health and social effects.
1(2) Environmental and health initiatives should adequately take into account economic, human health and social consequences.

2. Stewardship
2(1) The economy, environment, human health and social well-being should be managed for the equal benefit of present and future generations.
2(2) Manitobans are caretakers of the economy, the environment, human health and social well-being for the benefit of present and future generations.
2(3) Today’s decisions are to be balanced with tomorrow’s effects.

3. Shared Responsibility and Understanding
3(1) Manitobans should acknowledge responsibility for sustaining the economy, the environment, human health and social well-being, with each being accountable for decisions and actions in a spirit of partnership and open cooperation.
3(2) Manitobans share a common economic, physical and social environment.
3(3) Manitobans should understand and respect differing economic and social views, values, traditions and aspirations.
3(4) Manitobans should consider the aspirations, needs and views of the people of the various geographical regions and ethnic groups in Manitoba, including Aboriginal peoples, to facilitate equitable management of Manitoba’s common resources.

4. Prevention
Manitobans should anticipate, and prevent or mitigate, significant adverse economic, environmental, human health and social effects of decisions and actions, having particular careful regard to decisions whose impacts are not entirely certain but which, on reasonable and well-informed grounds, appear to pose serious threats to the economy, the environment, human health and social well-being.

5. Conservation and Enhancement
Manitobans should
(a)  maintain the ecological processes, biological diversity and life-support
      systems of the environment;
(b)  harvest renewable resources on a sustainable yield basis;
(c)  make wise and efficient use of renewable and non-renewable resources;
      and
(d)  enhance the long-term productive capability, quality and capacity of
      natural ecosystems.

6. Rehabilitation and Reclamation
Manitobans should
(a)  endeavour to repair damage to or degradation of the environment; and
(b)  consider the need for rehabilitation and reclamation in future decisions and actions.

7. Global Responsibility
Manitobans should think globally when acting locally, recognizing that there is economic, ecological and social interdependence among provinces and nations, and working cooperatively, within Canada and internationally, to integrate economic, environmental, human health and social factors in decision making while developing comprehensive and equitable solutions to problems.

Guidelines:
1.  Efficient Use of Resources – which means
(a) encouraging and facilitating development and application of systems for
     proper resource pricing, demand management and resource allocation
     together with incentives to encourage efficient use of resources; and
(b) employing full-cost accounting to provide better information for decision
     makers.

2.  Public Participation – which means
(a) establishing forums which encourage and provide opportunity for
     consultation and meaningful participation in decision making processes by
     Manitobans;
(b) endeavouring to provide due process, prior notification and appropriate
     and timely redress for those adversely affected by decisions and actions;
     and
(c) striving to achieve consensus amongst citizens with regard to decisions
     affecting them.

3.  Access to Information – which means
(a) encouraging and facilitating the improvement and refinement of economic,
     environmental, human health and social information; and
(b) promoting the opportunity for equal and timely access to information by
     all Manitobans.

4.  Integrated Decision-Making and Planning – which means
encouraging and facilitating decision making and planning processes that are efficient, timely, accountable and cross-sectoral and which incorporate an inter-generational perspective of future needs and consequences.

5.  Waste Minimization and Substitution – which means
(a) encouraging and promoting the development and use of substitutes for
     scarce resources where such substitutes are both environmentally sound
     and economically viable; and
(b) reducing, reusing, recycling and recovering the products of society.

6.  Research and Innovation – which means
encouraging and assisting the researching, development, application and sharing of knowledge and technologies which further our economic, environmental, human health and social well-being.