Finally a sign of Manitoba’s 2009 Sustainability Report

Manitoba is on the right track when it comes to sustainability.

This is according to the province’s 2009 Sustainability Report. While the report was officially released August 31, 2009, it wasn’t made available to the public on the Manitoba Conservation website until the end of August 2010 due to the time required to compile complex data from multiple sources.

The 2009 report measures sustainability in Manitoba across three areas: the natural environment, the economy and social well-being.

There is very little change from 2005 to 2009 in environment indicators. Indicators, like greenhouse gas emissions and natural lands and protected areas, remain stable, while others, like fish stocks, are still considered inconclusive due to the challenges of measurement.

Broad economic indicators, like readiness for school, mining reserves and employment, are now all generally positive, or at least stable.

Manitoba’s consumption and waste management has gone from positive in 2005 to negative in 2009. While negative is generally considered a bad thing, in this case, it’s a positive outcome because Manitobans are creating less garbage and diverting more organic material.

“Diversion of residential recyclables continues to increase at a good rate – and that’s a positive trend,” said a communications spokesperson for the Province of Manitoba. “Manitobans do well at waste diversion where they live; they need to do better where they work.”

According to the 2009 report, Manitoba is also doing well in the area of social well-being, particularly in lowering income inequality.

Part of the reason for this drop, notes the province’s communications spokesperson, is thanks in part to initiatives like the Rewarding Work, Rebound and ALL aboard programs. 

The ALL aboard program, started May 21, 2009, is Manitoba’s poverty reduction strategy that seeks to create more affordable housing, strengthen training and income supports, enhance child development, and ease access to coordinated services and programs.

While the 2009 Sustainability Report shows that Manitoba is generally doing well compared to 2005, this doesn’t mean Manitobans or the province can now be complacent.

On a broader scale, more work is needed in areas like protecting the Western Hudson Bay polar bear. On an individual scale, Manitobans could take small measures like increase recycling at work, not just at home.

Now that the report has been officially released, notes the provincial spokesperson, the next steps will be seeking feedback from various groups and organizations.

“We anticipate further discussion with the public in coming months,” said the provincial spokesperson.

The 2009 and 2005 sustainability reports can be viewed here: http://tinyurl.com/2g473g5.