Background Information

The Nutrient Management Regulation is the first regulation to be passed under The Water Protection Act. The purpose of the regulation is to protect water quality by encouraging responsible nutrient planning, regulating the application of materials containing nutrients and restricting the development of certain types of facilities in environmentally sensitive areas.

The gradual but steady increase in nitrogen and phosphorus to water systems over the past decades is the single, largest water quality challenge facing not only Manitoba but also other jurisdictions in Canada, United States, Europe and elsewhere. Excessive levels of phosphorus and nitrogen fuel the production of algae and aquatic plants. Extensive algal blooms can cause changes to aquatic life habitat, reduce essential levels of oxygen, clog fisher’s commercial nets, interfere with drinking water treatment facilities, and cause taste and odour problems in drinking water. In addition, some forms of blue-green algae can produce highly potent toxins.

Many of these symptoms exist in Lake Winnipeg and in other bodies of water in Manitoba. To address this issue, Manitoba launched its Nutrient Management Strategy in 2000. Subsequent scientific studies (nutrient trends report, nutrient loading report) conducted as part of this strategy have shown that since the early 1970s, nitrogen loading to Lake Winnipeg has increased by about 13 per cent and phosphorus has increased by about 10 per cent. In other bodies of water such as the La Salle River, phosphorus has increased during the same period by about 200 %. On February 18, 2003, Manitoba announced its Lake Winnipeg Action Plan. The Lake Winnipeg Action Plan is an initial commitment to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus loads to Lake Winnipeg by about 10 % to levels that existed prior to the 1970s.

To help meet these targets, the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board was formed in July 2003 as part of the Lake Winnipeg Action Plan. The Board’s last report was released in February 2007, and is titled “Reducing Nutrient Loading to Lake Winnipeg and its Watershed – Our Collective Responsibility and Commitment to Action”. The report provided 135 recommendations in 38 areas that will help reduce the load of nutrients to Lake Winnipeg. Of the 135 recommendations, work has begun on 128 (or 94 %) of these (see news release).

The Nutrient Management Regulation is one of numerous initiatives aimed at reducing nutrient levels in Manitoba’s valuable water systems.