Provincial Planning Regulation
MB Reg. 81/2011
Manitoba — Regulations
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As of July 8, 2026, this is the most current version available.
It has been in effect since December 12, 2025.
Last amendment included: M.R. 115/2025
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115/2025
Minor Amendments and Corrections Regulation, 2025
12 Dec. 2025
12 Dec. 2025
55/2019
Provincial Planning Regulation, amendment
19 Feb. 2019
20 Feb. 2019
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Provincial Planning Regulation, M.R. 81/2011
Règlement sur l'aménagement du territoire, R.M. 81/2011
The Planning Act , C.C.S.M. c. P80
Loi sur l'aménagement du territoire , c. P80 de la C.P.L.M.
Regulation 81/2011
Registered June 20, 2011
bilingual version (HTML)
Règlement 81/2011
Date d'enregistrement : le 20 juin 2011
version bilingue (HTML)
Table of Contents
Section
1 Provincial Land Use Policies enacted
2 Development plans
3 Livestock operations
Definitions
5 Reference aids
6 Manitoba Regulation 184/94 repealed
Schedule
Table des matières
Article
1 Adoption des Politiques provinciales d'usage des biens-fonds
2 Plans de mise en valeur
3 Exploitations de bétail
4 Définitions
5 Outils de référence
6 Abrogation du Règlement sur les politiques provinciales d'occupation des sols
Annexe
Provincial Land Use Policies enacted
1 The Provincial Land Use Policies, as set out in
Part 3 of the Schedule, are enacted.
Adoption des Politiques provinciales d'usage des biens-fonds
1 Sont adoptées les Politiques provinciales d'usage des biens-fonds établies à la
partie 3 de l'annexe.
Development plans
2 Development plans must be prepared in accordance with the requirements of
Part 4 of the Schedule.
Plans de mise en valeur
2 Les plans de mise en valeur sont élaborés conformément aux exigences de la
partie 4 de l'annexe.
Livestock operations
3(1) For the purpose of
section 1.1 of The Planning Act , the required degree of interrelationship between individuals, corporations, partnerships or other entities for deeming related nearby livestock operation to be one operation is as set out in
Part 5 of the Schedule.
Exploitations de bétail
3(1) Pour l'application de l'article 1.1 de la
Loi sur l'aménagement du territoire , la
partie 5 de l'annexe indique les liens qui doivent exister entre des particuliers, des corporations, des sociétés en nom collectif ou d'autres entités pour que des exploitations de bétail liées et situées à proximité l'une de l'autre soient considérées comme une exploitation unique.
3(2) For the purposes of subsection 72(3) of The Planning Act , the siting and setback requirements for livestock operations are as set out in
Part 5 of the Schedule.
3(2) Pour l'application du paragraphe 72(3) de la Loi , les distances de retrait relatives à l'emplacement des exploitations de bétail sont mentionnées à la
partie 5 de l'annexe.
Definitions
4(1) Terms that are italicized and in bold in the
Schedule are defined in
Part 1. For other terms, the normal meaning of the word applies.
Définitions
4(1) Les termes en italique et en gras dans l'annexe sont définis dans la
partie 1. Dans le cas des autres termes, le sens habituel du terme s'applique.
4(2) Terms may be italicized and in bold only in specific places; for these terms, the defined meaning applies where they are italicized and in bold and the normal meaning applies where they are not.
4(2) Dans certains cas, les termes apparaissent en italique et en gras seulement à des endroits en particulier. Pour ces termes, le sens défini s'applique quand ils sont en italique et en gras, et le sens habituel s'applique s'ils ne sont ni en italique ni en gras.
Reference aids
Part 2 (Introduction) of the
Schedule and the provincial interest statements in Parts 3 and 4 are included to provide context for the reader, but do not form part of the Schedule.
Outils de référence
5 La
partie 2 (Introduction) de l'annexe et les intérêts de la province énoncés aux parties 3 et 4 ne visent qu'à fournir un contexte au lecteur et ne font pas
partie de l'annexe.
Manitoba Regulation 184/94 repealed
6 The Provincial Land Use Policies Regulation , Manitoba Regulation 184/94, is repealed.
Abrogation du Règlement sur les politiques provinciales d'occupation des sols
6 Est abrogé le Règlement sur les politiques provinciales d'occupation des sols , R.M. 184/94.
SCHEDULE
PART 1
DEFINITIONS
agricultural operation means an agricultural, horticultural or silvicultural operation that is conducted in order to produce agricultural products on a commercial basis, and includes
a) the production of crops, including grains, oil seeds, hay and forages, and horticultural crops, including vegetables, fruit, mushrooms, sod, trees, shrubs and greenhouse crops;
b) the use of land for livestock operations and grazing;
c) the production of eggs, milk and honey;
d) the raising of game animals, fur-bearing animals, game birds, bees and fish;
e) the processing necessary to prepare an agricultural product for distribution from the farm gate;
f) the operation of agricultural machinery and equipment, including the tillage of land and the application of fertilizers, manure, soil amendments and pesticides, whether by ground or aerial application;
g) the storage, use or disposal of organic wastes for agricultural purposes. (exploitation agricole)
agricultural producer means a person who produces and markets an agricultural product. (producteur agricole)
brownfield sites means abandoned, vacant, derelict or under-utilized commercial or industrial sites that may be contaminated. (friche industrielle)
Canada Land Inventory means the maps prepared by the governments of Canada and Manitoba showing an evaluation of the capability of the land to support agriculture, forestry, wildlife and recreation. (Inventaire des terres du Canada)
capital region means the municipalities referred to in The Capital Region Partnership Act . (région de la capitale)
cottage means a rural residential use that is intended to be used seasonally or on a part-time basis. (chalet)
critical and significant wildlife habitat means habitat type crucial to the size, distribution or stability of a wildlife species in an area, and includes
a) land presently wooded or that has an appropriate mix of wooded and open areas with a Canada Land Inventory class designation 1,1W, 2, 2W, 3, 3W or 4 for ungulates;
b) land with a Canada Land Inventory class designation 1, 2, 3 or 4 for wetlands;
c) areas of unbroken native prairie greater than 20 acres in size; and
d) habitat important to migratory species and for the maintenance of a wildlife population in a local area. (habitat faunique essentiel)
design flood means a flood magnitude on a water body that, on average, is expected to occur once during a one hundred year period. (crue nominale)
drinking water system means a system used to pump, store, treat and distribute drinking water, and includes the facilities and services used in the provision of drinking water. (réseau d'eau potable)
erosion in respect of land, means land that, within a 50-year period, may be eroded away or become unstable due to the action of water contained in an adjacent water body . (érosion)
farmstead site means the portion of land of an agricultural operation , usually surrounded by a well-defined shelterbelt, that includes the habitable residence of the agricultural producer and the buildings and facilities associated with the agricultural operation . (ferme)
greenstone belt means an area of metamorphosed volcanic and sedimentary rocks in the Precambrian shield that has high potential for the discovery of base metals and gold. (zone de roches vertes)
heritage resource means a heritage site, a heritage object, and any work or assembly of works of nature or human endeavour that is of value for its archaeological, paleontological, prehistoric, historic, cultural, natural, scientific or aesthetic features, and may be in a form of sites or objects or combination of them. (richesse du patrimoine)
intensification means developing at a higher density than currently exists, and includes redeveloping property, expanding or converting existing buildings, reusing brownfield sites , developing under-utilized property, infill development and mixing compatible land uses. (densification)
land subject to flooding means land that
a) is inundated by floods up to and including the design flood ;
b) has a known history of flooding; or
c) experiences flooding during an flood event of a magnitude specified by the Province in areas protected by flood control works. (bien-fonds exposé aux inondations)
mineral means a substance that is a mineral under The Mines and Minerals Act and the regulations made under that Act. (minéral)
non-resource-related use means a land use or development whose location is not dependent on a particular natural resource including residential, commercial, industrial, indoor recreational uses, playing fields, amusements and golf courses. (usage non axé sur les ressources)
planning area means the area to which a development plan applies. (zone d'aménagement du territoire)
planning authority means the board of a planning district or the council of a municipality that is required to adopt a development plan. (autorité chargée de l'aménagement du territoire)
PLUPs means the Provincial Land Use Policies. (PPUB)
prime agricultural land means the following land:
a) land composed of mineral soil determined to be of dryland Agricultural Capability Class 1, 2 or 3;
b) a land unit of one quarter
section or more, or a river lot, in which 60% or more of the land is dryland Agricultural Capability Class 1, 2 or 3;
c) land composed of organic soil determined to be of dryland Agricultural Capability Class O1, O2 or O3;
d) land determined to be of Irrigation Suitability Class 1A, 1B, 2A or 2B. (terre agricole à fort rendement)
provincial natural land includes
a) provincial parks, ecological reserves and provincial forests;
b) land designated under The Wildlife Act as a refuge, special conservation area and wildlife management area;
c) land, freshwater and marine areas designated under an enactment as a protected area; and
d) private lands owned by conservation agencies that are recognized as protected areas under an agreement. (terre naturelle provinciale)
public services means infrastructure, services and amenities provided to the public, including
a) infrastructure used for water and wastewater, transportation, solid waste and other utilities;
b) water control works, including dykes, dams, surface or subsurface drains, improved natural water bodies , canals, tunnels, bridges, culverts, boreholes or contrivances for carrying or conducting water that
i) temporarily or permanently alters or may alter the flow of water or the level of a water body , or
ii) changes or may change the location or direction of the flow of water ,
c) parks, schools and recreational facilities; and
d) health and social services and police, fire and other emergency services. (services publics)
resource-related use means a use that is directly dependent on the land or resource base, such as agriculture, quarrying, forestry, fishing, trapping, hunting, outdoor recreation and hydro and wind energy production. (usage axé sur les ressources)
riparian area means an area of land on the banks of or near a water body that, due to the influence of water , is capable of naturally supporting an ecosystem that is distinct from the ecosystem of the adjacent upland areas. (zone riveraine)
rural residential means a non-farm, single family residential development with a larger lot size and that is located outside an urban centre . (ensemble résidentiel rural)
settlement area means the urban centres and designated rural residential and cottage areas. (zone d'habitation)
urban centre means an incorporated city, town or village, and includes a settled area that has
a) 25 or more permanent residences;
b) a mix of commercial and community services; and
c) a historic basis or place name. (centre urbain)
viable lower class land means land, other than prime agricultural land , that is used for agricultural operations or that has been used for agriculture operations in the past and continues to have the potential to be used for that purpose. (bien-fonds viable de classe inférieure)
wastewater management system means a system used to collect, store, treat, distribute and dispose of wastewater, and includes the facilities and services associated the management of wastewater. (système de gestion des eaux usées)
water includes both surface and groundwater. (eau)
water and wastewater infrastructure includes a drinking water system and a wastewater management system . (infrastructure d'approvisionnement en eau et de traitement des eaux usées)
water body means a body of flowing or standing water, whether naturally or artificially created and whether the flow or presence of water is continuous, intermittent or occurs only during a flood, and includes lakes, rivers, creeks, streams, sloughs, marshes, swamps and wetlands and the frozen surface of any of them. (étendue d'eau)
PART 2
INTRODUCTION
WHY PROVINCIAL LAND USE POLICIES?
Planning is a process all of us use to achieve an objective or goal. We plan for things we want to happen, for things we expect to happen or because we want to prevent undesirable outcomes.
Planning is a proactive practice — it is the opposite of waiting to see how things turn out and then responding to what is needed. With a reactive approach, decisions can become rushed, costly and may miss strategic opportunities.
Land use planning employs a proactive approach to making decisions about the use and development of land and resources. The focus is on moving toward a common vision or goal that represents the public interest; it is not simply restricting or regulating development.
In moving toward the sustainable development of Manitoba, planning must address a number of strategic priorities concurrently, such as sustainable infrastructure, clean energy, public health and safety, climate change mitigation and adaptation, economic diversification and competitiveness, housing affordability, resource conservation and water quality protection.
The Province recognizes that the manner in which land and resources are used has direct impact on these priorities. For example, how communities are planned and designed influences how people live, their level of resource consumption and their corresponding pollution production, such as greenhouse gas emissions. Because of this interdependence, the Province is interested in how land use planning and development occurs in Manitoba.
This interest is expressed in the Provincial Land Use Policies (the "PLUPs"). The PLUPs are based on the principles of sound land use planning, which are meant to guide the preparation of development plans, as well as ongoing land use and development decisions, to ensure they support the Province's strategic priorities and prevent undesirable outcomes. The principles of sound land use planning are reflected throughout the PLUPs and are summarized as follows:
Long-term vision — because land use decisions have long-term impacts, they must be future-oriented and connected to an overall vision or plan. This requires that individual developments be coordinated, strategic, anticipate needs and support the achievement of community priorities. Without a vision, incremental decisions are made in isolation and can lead to unforeseen conflicts and cumulative negative impacts.
Public interests — a traditional motivation for land use planning is the protection of the public interest. The development of land and resources has both costs and benefits; land use and development decisions must balance private gain with the costs that may be incurred by the public, and evaluate short-term profits against long-term costs.
Compatibility — land uses and developments that are planned and designed to be compatible with their surroundings will prevent or minimize conflicts and avoid dangers to public health, safety and the environment. When land uses are not compatible, they can result in negative impacts on people, property, investment and the environment, such as
nuisances, including noise, dust, odours;
financial expenditures by both private operators and the public to deal with legal issues and complaints;
danger to human health and safety and damage to property and investments from hazards, such as flooding, and the resulting public expenditures for evacuation and compensation;
additional development costs to mitigate conflict.
Mitigation and adaptation — the ability to anticipate, mitigate and adapt to change speaks to a community's resiliency. Managing change, such as shifts in population, demographics, economics, ecology and climatic norms requires that local plans and policies be flexible, not static. It requires local capacity to anticipate challenges and evaluate land use and development decisions on the basis of how well they mitigate the negative effects of change or adapt to those effects.
Sustainability — sustainable development is an approach to land use that views the goals of economic development, quality of life, public health and environmental protection as interrelated and not "either/or" situations. A sustainable development approach also recognizes and places value on the important functions of the ecosystem and ensures these can be protected from or incorporated into development to provide the best outcomes for both the built and natural environment, both now and into the future.
Optimization and efficiency — the optimal and efficient use of land, resources and existing public investments, such as infrastructure, can reduce costs to the public, promote innovation and competitiveness and help conserve valuable resources. Land that is developed thoughtfully and strategically can improve affordability, quality of life and services to the public.
Comprehensiveness — land use decisions, policies and programs have impact on and are influenced by a number of interest areas. Planning must consider the interconnections between land use and elements like transportation, housing, social services and cultural differences. A comprehensive approach that considers a variety of elements, can address multiple issues while ensuring it does not ignore problems or create new ones.
Integration — land use decisions, policies and programs must also be integrated at different scales, levels and times. Decision makers must consider how land use decisions will influence other planning tools such as financial plans, capital works budgets, programming and initiatives, watershed management plans, climate change action plans and vice versa. Such integration helps to ensure that the resources for implementation are available and that potential barriers are recognized and accounted for.
Public participation — decisions about the use of land affects the way people live, work and engage in recreational activities and will have long-term implications that will be felt by future generations. As a result, the public has an interest in what decisions are made and for what reasons. Good planning processes provide sufficient opportunities for public consultation that are broad and inclusive. Bringing diverse interests into the planning process is essential to building consensus and making the process more meaningful.
It is in the Provincial interest to foster a culture of land use planning throughout Manitoba that is consistent with these principles and with the PLUPs.
SCOPE AND APPLICATION
The legislative authority for the establishment of PLUPs comes from subsection 4(1) of The Planning Act , which provides that the Lieutenant Governor in Council may, by regulation, establish provincial land use policies to guide sustainable land use and development in the province.
The PLUPs represent the provincial interest in land, resources and sustainable development. They provide policy direction for a comprehensive, integrated and coordinated approach to land use planning that emphasizes the importance the Province places on regular development plan reviews and updating planning policies and land use designations, rather than planning largely through ongoing incremental plan amendments.
The PLUPs apply to all land that is subject to The Planning Act . The Province will also give the PLUPs full consideration when undertaking planning activities and making land-use decisions on Crown lands.
The PLUPs serve as a guide to planning authorities in preparing, reviewing and amending development plans. They are intended to give general guidance and ensure that provincial interests are addressed. A development plan or regional strategy must be generally consistent with the PLUPs.
The PLUPs by their nature are general and cannot account for all local situations, special circumstances and exceptions. In recognition of this variability it is intended that they be applied to reflect local needs, so long as provincial interests are not undermined. The PLUPs will be strictly applied in areas of the Province experiencing more growth or change, such as the capital region, and may be applied with more flexibility in areas experiencing limited growth or change, and where there is little potential for land use conflict.
Ultimately, a development plan is a policy document approved by both the Province and the local planning authority that reflects the essence of the PLUPs as they pertain to the circumstances of the planning area. As such, once a development plan has been adopted, it replaces the PLUPs until the development plan undergoes a periodic review or is amended.
The PLUPs are divided into nine policy areas, each focussed on a specific area of provincial interest that can be supported by land use planning. The policy areas provide the policy "content" to be addressed by developments plans, taking into account local circumstances. Each policy area includes
a statement of the provincial interest, which explains the provincial interest for a particular subject area and why and how land use planning and development is related to it — this outlines the intent of the PLUPs;
a statement of a goal or goals, which identify what the Province hopes to achieve in this subject area to support the intent; and
land use policies, which outline the general or specific actions that should be taken or measures put into effect to meet the goal and intent.
The PLUPs are to be read as a whole and the relevant policies are to be applied to the circumstance or consideration. While none of the policies have precedence over the others, those of Policy Area 1: General Development apply equally to all the other policy areas and should be read together with them. The PLUPs are to be interpreted so as not to derogate from treaty or aboriginal rights.
PART 3
PROVINCIAL LAND USE POLICIES
Policy Area 1: General Development
Provincial Interest
Manitobans live in a rapidly changing environment. For example, more extreme weather events and departures from climate norms now represent a significant risk to Manitoba. Our communities, ecosystems and economy are vulnerable to the impacts of climate variability and shifts in bioclimate and land use decisions should recognize these risks and strive to reduce vulnerability of communities and make them more resilient.
It is important to the Province that Manitoba's communities are environmentally, socially and economically resilient. From a land use perspective, this means fostering planning and development practices that support climate change mitigation and adaptation, promote healthy and fiscally sustainable communities, encourage diversity and protect cultural integrity.
Every community has unique circumstances and will use different methods to achieve their goals. However, there are a number of planning and development practices that the Province wishes to have applied consistently because they are fundamental to the sustainable development of Manitoba and are rooted in sound land use planning principles.
The Province supports and promotes these practices to ensure that development is reflective of a community's long-term vision, is compatible and avoids land use conflicts, promotes health, minimizes economic risks to the public, anticipates future needs and cumulative impacts, ensures the sustainable use of land and resources, protects ecological integrity and maximizes public investments.
These practices and innovative approaches are reflected in the following policies. These policies apply to all planning and development decisions.
1.1 Protecting People, Property and Investment
Goals
To avoid and mitigate risks to people, property and investments from hazards and nuisances.
To anticipate change and undertake the necessary planning and measures needed to adapt.
Policies
1.1.1 Planning and development decisions must direct development to areas that are suitable for the proposed use and where risk can be prevented or minimized. Factors to be taken into account when assessing risk include
a) hazards or activities in or nearby proposed development that have the potential to negatively impact development or health and safety;
c) existing land uses in or nearby the proposed development that could be negatively impacted by development;
d) the potential for development to negatively impact the environment;
e) the vulnerabilities of development to the potential effects of climate change; and
f) any other issue noted in the local emergency plan.
1.1.2 Land that could be unsafe for development due to naturally occurring processes, such as flooding, erosion and bank instability, is not suitable for development. Such land should be left in its natural state or its use should be limited to low intensity uses.
1.1.3 Incompatible developments and developments that may pose dangers to health and safety or that may be offensive and disturbing to the reasonable use of property should be located so that the development or use
a) does not negatively affect existing developments or designated land uses; and
b) can operate or expand safely, without unreasonable limitations.
Examples of these types of developments and uses include major utility and transportation facilities, waste storage, handling or disposal sites and other land uses that can create detrimental impacts such as safety issues and noise and odour concerns.
Potential dangers and nuisances associated with these developments and uses must be considered and either prevented through appropriate land use planning, or suitably mitigated through measures such as the use of separation, natural or human-made barriers, operating techniques, building materials or design.
1.2 Ensuring Compatibility Between Land Uses
Goals
To minimize land use conflicts by ensuring land uses and development are compatible.
To ensure the development of non-resource-related uses is efficient and orderly and occurs in the most strategic locations to maximize investments, without negatively impacting on resource-related uses .
Policies
1.2.1 Development must be compatible with its surroundings, with existing uses and with transportation systems.
1.2.2 The designation of land for non-resource-related uses should not be wasteful of land.
1.2.3 The amount of land designated for non-resource-related uses should be consistent with the demonstrated rate of change in the requirements for such land uses and must take into account
a) the community vision for the planning area ; and
b) the existing designations of such lands within the region.
1.2.4 Subject to policies 1.2.5 and 1.2.6, non-resource-related uses must be directed to existing urban centres or to other areas that have been designated for non-resource-related uses .
1.2.5 The following non-resource-related uses may be accommodated in areas outside urban centres , provided that the areas are both appropriate and designated for the use:
a) developments that are intended to primarily serve the farm community,
b) developments that pose a hazard or nuisance in an urban centre , or
c) developments that require a larger site area than is available or appropriate in an urban centre .
1.2.6 Rural residential and cottage development must be directed to land designated for that purpose.
1.2.7 Developments described in policies 1.2.5 and 1.2.6 must be directed
a) to areas where, due to a combination of a diversity of landscape features, the predominance of lower class land, a high degree of land fragmentation and the existence of a mixture of land uses, agriculture is not dominant; and
b) away from prime agricultural land , viable lower class land and existing agricultural operations whenever possible.
1.2.8 Development outside an urban centre must be located in a manner that ensures adequate separation from the centre so as to not impede the centre's orderly expansion, based on the projected land needs of the urban centre over a long-term planning horizon.
1.3 Integrating Public Services
Goals
To maximize existing investments in public services.
To integrate public service considerations into development decisions in order to ensure that public services have the capacity to support the development.
Policies
1.3.1 The direction and pattern of development should support the strategic and economical provision of accessible public services to meet current and projected needs. To achieve this, before being directed to areas without public services , development should be directed to areas where appropriate public services
a) exist, and in particular to those areas with excess service capacity and that have been identified for redevelopment or intensification , such as brownfield sites ; or
b) are planned, budgeted for and can be introduced in a timely manner.
1.3.2 If feasible, public services should be co-located in order to promote cost-effectiveness and facilitate service integration.
1.3.3 Development should be examined on a regional scale to identify possible opportunities for regional cooperation, economic and energy efficiencies and service-sharing.
1.3.4 In order to ensure that development does not result in unexpected or unreasonable costs to the public, consideration should be given to whether existing public services have the capacity to accommodate development. Where capacity is or is projected to be insufficient, consideration must be given to
a) anticipated short- and long-term costs of the public services necessary to accommodate additional development; and
b) the ways for ensuring that the public services are paid for in reasonable and appropriate manner, including ensuring that those who benefit most from the provision of new public services are predominately responsible for the costs.
1.4 Promoting Sustainable Development
Goal
To promote sustainable land use patterns and innovative development practices that minimize pollution, protect resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Policies
1.4.1 Innovative design concepts and development standards should be used and promoted to facilitate the following:
a) addressing the needs of persons with disabilities, by meeting standards for universal design;
b) conserving or maximizing efficiencies of natural resources, including energy and water;
c) minimizing contributions of harmful emissions, including greenhouse gases;
d) supporting the use of renewable and alternative energy sources;
e) minimizing soil nutrients being lost through strategies such as stormwater retention and treatment, and erosion control;
f) minimizing and mitigating conflicts between humans and wildlife;
g) preserving and working with the natural landscape features of the area;
h) incorporating green design practices
i) in new building construction and the rehabilitation of or conversion of existing buildings,
ii) when conserving heritage buildings, if feasible and if consistent with heritage conservation standards as outlined in the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada , and
iii) to minimize the amount of impervious surface whenever practicable by using natural engineering design methods and, if feasible, encouraging alternate surfacing options.
1.4.2 Public facilities, services and resources must be accessible to the public. To ensure this, existing and planned public facilities, services and resources must be identified and policies to accommodate public access must be prepared and included. Some public resources may require specific measures to ensure public access, such as creating a public shoreland reserve for a water body.
1.4.3 Open green spaces within or adjacent to settlement areas should be identified and considered for outdoor recreation uses and wildlife habitat. Linkages between green spaces, in particular through the creation and protection of greenways, should be promoted.
Policy Area 2: Settlement Areas
Provincial interest
Settlement has occurred in a variety of forms throughout Manitoba, including varying scales of urban, suburban, rural, cottage and recreational types of development. This settlement has also occurred in a range of sizes, from single lot subdivisions to small communities, to the city of Winnipeg.
Manitobans value such variety when it comes to choosing where they live. Some enjoy the access, convenience and services of larger urban centres , while some prefer the open spaces, large lots and farm characteristics of rural areas. Others favour qualities of both.
It is important to the Province that Manitobans have the ability to choose where they live based on their lifestyle preferences and that a variety of choice exists. However, it is equally important that individual choices, as they relate to new or expanding development, are sustainable, support Manitoba's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and do not generate unnecessary costs to, or negative impacts on, the public or upon the natural or heritage resources of the area. It is recognized that not all communities have the capacity to be economically self-sufficient and may rely on public partnership to support their overall sustainable development.
The Province has developed land use policies that focus growth and development on existing settlements areas, in particular, urban centres . Strong urban centres are important to Manitoba's long-term prosperity, social and environmental well-being and economic competitiveness. They provide employment, a diversity of housing types and affordable recreation and social services in an environment which can be universally accessible and facilitate aging in place.
Concentrating development in urban centres also optimizes existing infrastructure and positions communities to generate the economic activity necessary to sustain themselves into the future. Because of the significant investment already put into existing urban centres and because of their social and historical significance, it is important to the Province that they are strengthened, optimized and planned so as to be sustainable.
The Province has also developed land use policies to limit low density and scattered residential development in rural areas. Such development, on a cumulative basis, can create conflict with agricultural operations , limit the ability of a municipality to provide for an increasing level of services that meet regulatory standards, inhibit urban expansion or access to resources, increase reliance on the single-occupant vehicles and associated emission of greenhouse gases, and pose environmental and public health risks due to inadequate onsite water and wastewater infrastructure .
The costs associated with these cumulative impacts are not limited to the individual; rather they are borne by the public and may lead to a pattern of land use that is not fiscally or environmentally sustainable over the long term.
2.1 Strategic And Planned Settlement
Goals
To encourage compact and clustered settlement patterns and foster a culture of sustainable growth management and financial accountability.
To promote healthy, vibrant and well-balanced communities.
Policies
2.1.1 The emphasis of future development and growth should be on existing settlement areas where investments have already been made. As a priority, growth should be directed to urban centres that have appropriate public services to accommodate future development and growth.
2.1.2 Growth and development within settlement areas should occur in a planned and contiguous manner that emphasizes compact form.
2.1.3 To enable the planned expansion of settlement areas , lands additional to those designated for the settlement area may be identified as areas for new growth. New growth areas must be located adjacent to compatible, existing development.
2.1.4 Intensification of and reinvestment in existing development should be considered and encouraged before expansion into new growth areas, in particular for urban centres .
2.2 Strong Urban Centres
Goals
To foster, maintain and enhance the strength and competitiveness of Manitoba's urban centres .
To maximize and sustain existing investments in urban centres and ensure future investment is strategic and limits public costs.
Policies
2.2.1 Planning for urban centres should provide for a variety of housing types, densities and affordability levels to accommodate a range of income levels, the ability to age in place and diverse market demands.
2.2.2 Intensification activities within urban centres should not result in the loss of green space and public amenities. Wherever possible, intensification activities should contribute to the inventory of green space and public amenities.
2.2.3 To maximize existing public investments, the downtown or central business district of an urban centre must be protected and enhanced by
a) directing commercial facilities, public offices, institutional facilities and large-scale indoor recreational facilities which serve the whole community to the downtown or central business district;
b) ensuring safe, visible and effective public access to the downtown or central business district and its public facilities by public transit, and by planned linkages of the street system, public walkways, bicycle paths, green spaces and waterfronts;
c) encouraging the preservation of heritage resources and significant structures that are within the downtown or central business district;
d) promoting the rehabilitation and re-use of existing buildings in the downtown or central business district, and encouraging the multiple use of buildings and mixing different housing options with other compatible uses; and
e) supporting the revitalization of older neighborhoods contiguous to the downtown or central business district.
2.2.4 For a large urban centre , commercial facilities or services may be permitted to be located outside its downtown or central business district, if it is demonstrated that the primary function of the facility or service is to serve
a) the travelling public, provided the facility or service is located on a corridor identified for the use or to a node that connects multiple modes of transportation; or
b) a distinct district or neighbourhood, provided such district or neighbourhood-level facilities or services are generally located in a cluster served by collector or arterial streets, and complements rather than duplicates or directly competes with the downtown or central business district.
2.2.5 Regional-scale commercial facilities may only be permitted within designated commercial areas that are identified as key nodes in the transportation system.
2.2.6 The expansion of an urban centre must be directed away from prime agricultural land , agricultural operations and other valuable resources or resource-related uses so that land is not prematurely taken out of production or its use prematurely inhibited. However, where factors such as servicing and land availability make urban expansion into these areas the best option, urban expansion may take precedence over other uses.
2.3 Sustainable Rural Development
Goals
To preserve the natural and rural character of rural Manitoba and reduce the amount of land consumed, fragmented and made unproductive for resource-related uses.
To reduce the potential for land use conflicts.
To ensure that rural residential and cottage developments are well planned and do not lead to a pattern of development that creates unreasonable costs for the public.
To anticipate the growing trend of cottage developments constructed as or converting to year-round, permanent residences, and ensure that year-round, permanent residences are treated as such.
Policies
2.3.1 New rural residential and cottage development must be designated and planned in a way that preserves the natural and rural character of the area and makes it distinct from development in urban centres . In order to ensure this, rural residential and cottage development should
a) be located and designed to preserve the agrarian or natural features of the area;
b) have lots larger than those found in urban centres , but not be so large as to be wasteful of land; and
c) generally, be required to rely on onsite water and wastewater infrastructure .
2.3.2 Areas designated for rural residential and cottage development must not interfere with the expansion of urban centres or with existing resource-related uses or the expansion of those uses.
2.3.3 When considering establishing a new or expanding an existing rural residential or cottage development, the cumulative impacts of the development must be assessed to demonstrate that the additional development will not
a) negatively impact on existing rural residential and cottage development;
b) create the requirement for urban-like services, such as commercial development, neighborhood-scale facilities and services or institutional facilities, to serve the development;
c) lead to the evolution of a new urban centre ; or
d) detract from the natural and rural character that attracted development to the area.
Policy Area 3: Agriculture
Provincial Interest
Farms, today, range in size from small to moderate to very large modern business operations. These operations generate income for rural families, put millions of dollars and thousands of jobs annually into the local and provincial economy, provide a safe and high-quality supply of affordable food and agricultural products, and contribute to the well-being of all Manitobans.
Agricultural land is a valuable and limited natural resource and is the foundation of all agricultural activities in Manitoba. Prime agricultural land and viable lower class land can be considered non-renewable, as once taken out of production, they are seldom returned to agriculture. Yet, prime agricultural land are necessary for Manitoba's annual crop production, while viable lower class land support forage and livestock production and grazing. Planning for the agricultural use of these lands and protecting them from conversion to non-farm use is vital to the future of Manitoba's agricultural sector.
Although only about 13% of the provincial land base has agricultural potential, it is this same portion of the land base that is often the most desirable for non-farm use. Agricultural lands face increasing pressure from residential and recreational development, but also from competing resource-related uses . The resulting fragmentation of the land base can make it difficult for producers to farm by increasing the potential for conflict between farm and non-farm uses and inflating the cost of farmland.
The Province encourages local authorities to support the farming community by setting policies that reduce the fragmentation of the agricultural land base and protect the viability of agricultural operations . This will encourage long-term commitment and investment from producers and enable a strong future for the agricultural sector.
It is expected that rising fuel costs and climate change may place an increased demand on the production and protection of local food sources. Producing food for local consumption reduces food miles traveled, increases the nutritional content of the food, and ensures a more secure food source for Manitobans. The Province encourages local authorities to plan for agriculture by fostering an atmosphere conducive to agricultural production, specialization, diversification and value-added processing.
This will contribute to the economic development of rural communities, reduce land use conflicts for agricultural operations and enhance the use of agricultural land for food and other agricultural production.
A competitive agricultural industry needs a healthy environment. Agricultural producers perform a multifunctional role as stewards of our resources and our cultural heritage. Land use policies that protect working agricultural landscapes can also facilitate general public benefits such as clean air and water, open space, wildlife habitat and reduced downstream flooding. The Province encourages a long-term stewardship approach to land management based on sustainable management practices.
3.1 Planning For Agriculture
Goals
To protect agricultural land for present and future food production and agricultural diversification opportunities.
To promote a strong agricultural sector by
planning for agriculture and providing a stable environment for producers;
protecting agricultural operations from encroachment by other land uses; and
maintaining the ability of a producer to efficiently manage, expand or diversify an operation.
To encourage environmentally sound agricultural production and development in order to ensure a sustainable agricultural industry over the long term.
Policies
3.1.1 Agricultural lands must be identified and appropriately designated for agricultural use. Agricultural lands include
a) land with existing agricultural operations ;
b) prime agricultural land ; and
c) viable lower class land that is suitable for different types of mixed farming enterprises, including crop production, forage production and livestock grazing, provided that agricultural use of the land is consistent with its natural limitations and does not contribute to negative environmental impacts, such as soil degradation.
3.1.2 Land designated for agricultural use must be protected for agricultural operations , and from encroachment by new non-agricultural development which might unduly interfere with the continued operation or future expansion of agricultural operations .
3.1.3 Except as permitted under policy 3.1.5, non-resource-related uses must not be permitted on land designated for agricultural use.
3.1.4 To minimize fragmentation or further fragmentation of land designated for agricultural use, such land must be maintained in a minimum parcel size of at least 80 acres (32 hectares) (generally).
3.1.5 Land designated for agricultural use may be subdivided into a smaller parcel than what is permitted under policy 3.1.4 in the following circumstances:
a) a specialized agricultural operation in which high value, lower-volume, intensively managed agricultural products are produced, such as an apiary, a nursery or a greenhouse, requires a smaller land holding;
b) in respect of an existing farmstead site ,
i) the site is no longer required as part of an agricultural operation because the associated farmland has been acquired by another agricultural operation , or
ii) subdivision of the farmstead site is necessary to allow the agricultural producer to continue to reside in the existing farm residence upon retirement;
c) a single lot subdivision for residential purposes is required for an individual who significantly participates in the agricultural operation on an ongoing basis and derives an income from it;
d) a single lot subdivision is proposed for rural residential purposes, but only if the proposal is in a planning area that has experienced continuous population decline over the previous fifteen years;
e) a single lot subdivision is proposed for a commercial or industrial use that is intended to
i) provide services, machinery, equipment or goods specifically required by agricultural operations , or
ii) store or process products grown or raised by an agricultural operation ,
but only if it is demonstrated that due to the nature or activity of the use it is essential that it be located in an agricultural area;
f) a single lot subdivision is proposed for a parcel of land that has been physically isolated by such things as a transportation route or a water course, but only if the parcel is of a size, shape or nature that makes farming physically impractical.
3.1.6 Only one subdivision per 80-acre title may be permitted for the circumstances described in clauses 3.1.5(
a) to (d).
3.1.7 Non-agricultural parcels created in accordance with clauses 3.1.5(
b) to (
e) a) must not be wasteful of agricultural land;
b) should, if possible, be directed away from prime agricultural land and existing livestock operations; and
c) if applicable, must be confined to the existing shelterbelt that forms part of a farmstead site .
3.1.8 The consolidation of existing smaller holdings of agricultural land into or with larger holdings of agricultural land is to be encouraged.
3.2 Planning For Sustainable Livestock Operations
Goals
To support the sustainability of the livestock sector by planning for livestock development in order to minimize potential land use conflicts and protect the viability of agricultural producers .
To provide clarity to agricultural producers , rural residents and governments on siting considerations.
Policies
3.2.1 In a livestock operation policy, the identification of the areas that are required to be identified under clause 42(2)(
a) of The Planning Act must be determined and rationalized in accordance with the following factors:
a) the compatibility of livestock operations with existing land uses, settlement areas and provincial natural land ;
b) the appropriate proximity of a livestock operation to
i) water bodies , such as lakes, rivers and wetlands, and
ii) areas of groundwater vulnerability;
c) an area's soil capability for agricultural production; and
d) an area's risk of flooding.
The information used respecting groundwater vulnerability, flood risk and soil capability for dryland agricultural production must be the information identified by or acceptable to the province.
3.2.2 Mutual separation distances must be established between existing livestock operations and any new or proposed
a) settlement areas ;
b) designated parks or recreational areas; or
c) residential dwellings not associated with the livestock operation.
The separation distances must not be inconsistent with the separation distances prescribed in
Part 5 — Livestock Operations.
3.2.3 New livestock operations should not be accommodated on land that has soils determined, by detailed soil survey acceptable to the province with a scale of 1:50,000 or better, to have an agricultural capability of Class 6, 7 or unimproved organic soils.
Policy Area 4: Renewable Resources, Heritage & Recreation
Provincial interest
The Province has a public and stewardship interest in maintaining the sustainability of renewable resources, while ensuring a balance between conservation and development. Land use planning can support this interest by identifying renewable resource areas and protecting them from incompatible development, fragmentation and degradation, while at the same time, capturing the economic opportunities, environmental and social benefits and values they provide.
Heritage resources often support traditional lifestyles and provide opportunities for aesthetic enjoyment, recreational use, tourism, cultural and heritage appreciation, and sustainable development. In many cases, this land helps maintain life-supporting ecological processes, biological diversity and helps offset and abate the potential problems of soil erosion, pollution, species extinction and climate change.
Economic benefits are also accrued from recreational use, as natural land attracts visitors into the area who may purchase a range of goods and services such as guiding, accommodation, food and beverages, souvenirs, transportation needs and other recreational activities. It is for these values and opportunities that the Province has an interest in the conservation, protection and development of significant heritage resources through sound land use planning.
Some heritage resources require extra protection due to their unique or representative characteristics, such as enduring features. The Province is committed to permanently protect a representative sample of each of the province's 18 natural regions and subregions thereby conserving the biodiversity of Manitoba. These protected areas may be, in whole or in part, a wildlife management area, provincial park, ecological reserve, provincial forest or other area of Crown land established by provincial legislation. Through memorandums of agreements, private lands owned by conservation agencies are also recognized as protected areas.
Conservation of critical and significant wildlife habitat on private lands is also encouraged, through the use of voluntary tools such as conservation agreements.
4.1 Protecting Natural Lands and Resources
Goals
To conserve heritage resources and protect them from damaging uses.
To permanently protect a representative sample of each of the Province's natural regions and subregions and conserve the biodiversity of Manitoba.
Policies
4.1.1 Provincial natural land and critical and significant wildlife habitat must be identified and protected from incompatible land uses and developments.
4.1.2 If the adverse impacts of development on provincial natural land and critical and significant wildlife habitat cannot be avoided, the impacts must be minimized and mitigated by using appropriate measures to preserve, create or restore the value of the land and habitat.
4.1.3 Provincial natural land and critical and significant wildlife habitat that have been degraded or damaged should also be identified and prioritized for rehabilitation, if rehabilitation is practicable.
4.1.4 The fragmentation of critical and significant wildlife habitats should be avoided whenever possible, and the establishment and protection of wildlife corridors is to be supported. Development that will result in fragmentation of critical and significant wildlife habitats must be minimized and suitably mitigated.
4.1.5 Voluntary actions to conserve critical and significant wildlife habitat on private land is to be encouraged and facilitated.
4.1.6 Heritage resources should be identified and protected from the adverse impacts of development. If adverse impacts are unavoidable, the impacts must be minimized and mitigated by using appropriate measures to preserve, create or restore the value of the heritage resources .
4.1.7 The conservation of heritage resources must be undertaken in a manner that is compatible with the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada , as published by Parks Canada.
4.1.8 Heritage resources that have been degraded or damaged should also be identified and prioritized for rehabilitation, if rehabilitation is practicable.
4.2 Maximizing Sustainable Resource Opportunities
Goals
To maintain the sustainability of renewable resources and protect biological and ecological diversity.
To facilitate the sustainable use of renewable resources in an environmentally sound manner.
To promote the compatible and sustainable development of natural lands and heritage resources to optimize ecological, heritage, cultural, health and economic benefits to communities and Manitobans.
Policies
4.2.1 Opportunities for the compatible, environmentally sound, sustainable development of heritage resources and lands and habitat identified under policies 4.1.1 and 4.1.5 should be facilitated, including using
a) historic structures and sites for residential and commercial uses, if appropriate;
b) heritage resources for appropriate education and tourism opportunities; and
c) lands and habitat to support ecotourism, such as wildlife viewing and wilderness canoeing.
4.2.2 Areas where sustainable forest management and harvesting is permitted or is the dominant land use should be identified. Sustainable forest management and harvesting should also be encouraged in areas designated for agriculture use, if the uses can be integrated without conflict.
4.2.3 Urban forests and green spaces should be enhanced or encouraged to be established wherever possible.
4.2.4 Areas identified as having the potential to support sustainable wildlife and forest use opportunities should be planned to be used for activities such as wildlife viewing, tourism, ecotourism, hunting, trapping, collecting, associated service industries and sustainable timber harvesting.
4.2.5 Degraded or damaged wildlife habitats with significant wildlife potential, and lands best suited for forest establishment, are to be identified and prioritized for rehabilitation, if rehabilitation is practicable.
4.2.6 Woodlots and shelterbelts should be encouraged on lands that are not critical and significant wildlife habitat , including land that
a) is marginal for agriculture use, generally Canada Land Inventory classes designation 6 and 7 for agriculture;
b) is susceptible to erosion ;
c) is suitable for wildlife or outdoor recreational uses;
d) is adjacent to highways, and the use as a woodlot or shelterbelt has the potential to increase public safety;
e) has been disturbed and requires reclamation and rehabilitation; or
f) consists of a road allowance that has been encroached by unauthorized development, if the woodlot or shelterbelt would reclaim the land from the unauthorized development.
4.3 Compatible Recreational Use
Goals
To manage the recreational use of resources, which are recognized as valued assets and an integral part of Manitoba.
To ensure that existing and future recreational use is appropriately planned and accessible to the public.
Policies
4.3.1 When planning for outdoor recreational uses, consideration must be given to
a) the suitability of the natural resources for outdoor recreational use, which is to be determined with reference to
i) the Canada Land Inventory recreational capability classification of the natural resource, and
ii) the carrying capacity of the natural resource on which the outdoor recreational use will rely;
b) the amount of land needed to accommodate the particular outdoor recreational use; and
c) measures that are required to be taken in order to minimize and mitigate any negative impacts on the natural environment, which may include restricting the location of buildings and limiting the density of development, the proximity of the development to shorelines and the clearing of land.
4.3.2 Significant outdoor recreational use areas must be identified and protected from incompatible uses.
4.3.3 The development of an outdoor recreational use must not detract from the natural and recreational character of the resources that it relies on, or exceed the carrying capacity of the resource.
4.3.4 When considering development in outdoor recreational use areas, adequate land to accommodate anticipated and arising recreational uses is to be provided and public access to the area and facilities within the area must be ensured.
4.3.5 Outdoor recreational uses that are located adjacent to provincial natural land or critical and significant wildlife habitat should be planned in a manner that is consistent with the management of those lands, and helps ensure the ecological integrity of those areas.
Policy Area 5: Water
Provincial interest
Sufficient quantities of high-quality water are essential for the sustained economic and social development of Manitoba. It is a vital resource to communities and for supporting business, industry, recreation and cultural and heritage resources . Just as importantly, water and its aquatic ecosystems are critical to the environmental and ecological functions that sustain healthy communities. For these reasons, the Province is committed to encouraging land use and development that supports the sustainability of the water.
This policy area recognizes the value and importance of water to the Province and ensures that development maintains the integrity of water. While continuing to ensure that Manitoba's water is available to meet important needs, wise use of land and sustainable development practices will help to
protect quality and quantity of water bodies , surface water and groundwater;
protect important aquatic ecosystems;
ensure clean sources of drinking water;
reduce risk to people and property due to flooding; and
protect cultural and heritage resources .
To maintain the integrity of water, planning for future developments must take into consideration the entire watershed. Integrated watershed management plans, which are locally developed and approved by the Province in accordance with The Water Protection Act , address the sustainable development and management of water, land, and aquatic ecosystems through a review of the economic, social, and environmental issues within a watershed.
An integrated approach is also critical for mitigating and adapting to the effects of future climate change, such as increases in the severity and frequency of droughts or floods. With increasing water demand from a variety of users, more water sources nearing full allocation, and the risk of drought, water scarcity is a real threat. To reduce vulnerability to such a risk, communities need to develop strategies for prioritizing water allocation and implementing water conservation measures. Land use planning is a tool for implementing these strategies and measures and can help build a community's resiliency to risk and change.
5.1 Protecting Water
Goals
To ensure the protection of Manitoba's water and to ensure that the quality and quantity of our water and aquatic ecosystems are healthy and sustainable for future generations.
Policies
5.1.1 Water bodies , groundwater and riparian areas must be identified and protected from the risks associated with development. In particular, land uses, activities and developments that have a high risk of causing pollution, such as disposal fields, fuel tanks, waste disposal grounds, lagoons and chemical and fertilizer storage facilities, must be considered and prevented or suitably mitigated.
5.1.2 In order to ensure water quality is protected, development in or near water bodies or riparian areas must not be permitted if the development may result in
a) the contribution of nutrients, deleterious chemicals or materials to water bodies or a riparian area ;
b) an acceleration of erosion or bank instability;
c) the removal of natural vegetative cover; or
d) an impact on any in-stream flows needed to maintain a healthy aquatic ecosystem.
5.1.3 To ensure the protection, retention and, where required, rehabilitation of riparian areas , the following setbacks must be applied in respect of development:
a) a minimum setback of 15 metres upslope from the normal high water mark of
i) first and second order drains, and
ii) artificially created retention ponds;
b) a minimum setback of 30 metres upslope from the normal high water mark for all natural water bodies and waterways, including ephemeral streams;
c) a minimum setback greater than 30 metres upslope from water bodies and waterways that
i) are designated under an enactment,
ii) are socially, historically or culturally important, or
iii) contain unique aquatic assemblages and species.
The natural vegetative cover must be retained or rehabilitated within the above setbacks.
5.1.4 Developments that create minor disturbances to the natural vegetative cover in riparian areas , such as docks, pathways and boathouses, may be permitted in those areas, provided that not more than 25% of the length of the lot's shoreline is affected.
5.1.5 Development must not result in alteration to permanent, semi-permanent or coastal wetlands by the consolidation of wetlands or by ditching, filling, pumping, subsurface drainage or other works or means, unless it is for the purpose of flood mitigation. Flood mitigation must maintain the natural boundaries of permanent, semi-permanent or coastal wetlands.
5.1.6 To protect water that supplies a drinking water system , appropriate land use planning or suitable mitigation measures must be implemented to ensure that development does not
a) contribute pathogenic organisms, deleterious chemicals or nutrients to a drinking water source; or
b) increase the turbidity of a drinking water source.
5.1.7 Land use planning should facilitate and promote the efficient and sustainable use of drinking water.
5.1.8 In planning for developments that require groundwater, consideration must be given to the impacts on aquifers, including
a) the long-term ability of the aquifers to provide groundwater for normal usage;
b) the degradation of the quality and quantity of groundwater within the aquifers;
c) the rate of recharge of the aquifers; and
d) the effects on the ecosystems that are reliant on groundwater discharge from the aquifers.
5.1.9 In areas where the drinking water supply is limited or overburdened, land use planning should be used to ensure that
a) domestic uses are given priority over other uses;
b) alternative sources of water are identified for uses that do not require drinking water; and
c) uses that consume a significant amount of drinking water are not to be accommodated.
5.2 Avoiding Flooding And Erosion
Goals
To promote land use patterns and development that minimize risks to people, property and water quality from hazards and nuisances related to flooding, erosion or bank instability.
Policies
5.2.1 Land subject to flooding , erosion and bank instability or that has been designated under the Designated Flood Area Regulation , Manitoba Regulation 59/2002, must be identified. Development of this land may be permitted only if the risks are eliminated or ways are identified to ensure that
a) no additional risk to life, health or safety is created as a result of development;
b) buildings and other things constructed, such as septic fields, are protected from the risks related to flooding, erosion and bank instability; and
c) water flow, velocities and flood levels will not be adversely altered, obstructed or increased as a result of development.
5.2.2 Appropriate flood protection and mitigation measures must include the following:
a) the identification of protection levels
i) for land subject to flooding, that maintain a minimum 0.67 metres (two feet) of freeboard at a flood level equalling the design flood, and
ii) for lands adjacent to lakes and large reservoirs, incorporate the effects of wind set-up and wave uprush;
b) requiring that public access roads to developments be maintained at the static water level — being the computed design water level with no allowance for uncertainties in computation or adjustments for wind, ice or debris jams — in areas of land subject to flooding, unless roads are designed and constructed in such a manner that they will not impede river flows and will maintain a minimum 0.67 metres (two feet) of freeboard at a flood level equalling the design flood;
c) in areas where the flooding and erosion risks cannot be readily defined, that the required set-back for permanent structures from water bodies be at least 10 times the height of the bank above the normal summer water level or 30 metres, whichever is greater, unless a geotechnical engineering investigation shows that the set-back may be altered without creating any additional risks;
d) requiring that development that may accelerate or promote erosion or bank instability and the removal of natural vegetation is minimized and is not permitted within a riparian area ;
e) requiring that natural vegetative cover be preserved within riparian areas to reduce erosion and maintain bank stability.
Policy Area 6: Infrastructure
Provincial interest
Infrastructure refers to the physical elements needed to serve development, including transportation, water, wastewater and storm water systems. Appropriate infrastructure can contribute to the health, sustainability and competitiveness of Manitoba's communities by offering a higher standard of living and quality of life for those who live, work and play in those communities.
Because the costs of infrastructure are often paid through public investments, it is important that decisions about infrastructure be determined with full consideration of its impacts on future land uses, on existing infrastructure and development, and the capacity of the community to support that infrastructure.
Decisions about infrastructure should also consider the impacts of climate change. Due to its long life span, infrastructure built today may still be in place when changes in climate have created conditions that can make that same infrastructure vulnerable. For example, warmer temperatures have the potential to cause increased melting of permafrost that could reduce the length of winter road use. Decisions about where to locate new roads, pipes and other key infrastructure facilities need to consider potential vulnerabilities, and adaptation measures should be built into construction.
Through an integrated approach to land use and infrastructure planning, lifecycle costing and demand management practices, local authorities will be able to make decisions regarding the provision of infrastructure in the most economically, environmentally and socially sustainable way.
It is important to note that there are circumstances where local authorities have a limited capacity to fulfil the infrastructure needs of their communities, such as resource-based, and aboriginal and northern communities. In such instances, it is important that other levels of government become a partner in the provision of infrastructure and ensuring its sustainability.
6.1 Strategic and Sustainable Infrastructure Investment
Goals
To avoid unnecessary expansion or development of new infrastructure and to ensure that investments in infrastructure can be sustained.
To integrate land use and infrastructure planning and ensure that the full environmental, social and economic costs of infrastructure are incorporated into the costs of development by encouraging a responsible and proactive approach to infrastructure.
Policies
6.1.1 Land use planning should be coordinated with municipal financial and capital planning in order to provide an integrated decision framework for development and spending priorities within the planning area .
6.1.2 The provision of infrastructure should be planned and appropriate for the type, scale and location of both existing and potential development.
6.1.3 Infrastructure investments to support development should be strategic and sustainable. In order to ensure this, the infrastructure planning process should consider
a) the full costs of the infrastructure, on a lifecycle basis;
b) the financial resources needed to maintain the infrastructure in a manner and to a level that meets needs, regulatory requirements and accepted industry standards;
c) the cost-benefits of different infrastructure options;
d) public health and safety; and
e) the environmental impacts of different infrastructure options, such as greenhouse gas emissions.
6.2 Appropriate Water And Wastewater Facilities
Goals
To protect the environment by ensuring that wastewater is appropriately stored, treated and managed and does not deteriorate water quality in the Province.
To improve the quality of life and ensure the safety and health of residents by providing good quality drinking water at a high standard of service that is affordable and efficient.
Policies
6.2.1 Planning and development decisions must take into consideration water and wastewater infrastructure , and the need for water and wastewater services to be provided in a manner that
a) protects health and safety;
b) protects the environment from contaminants;
c) does not exceed the capacity of the water upon which the services rely; and
d) promotes water conservation and water use efficiency.
6.2.2 Planning and development decisions are to be coordinated with and reflect local wastewater management and drinking water service plans to ensure that
a) sustainable sources of drinking water are available;
b) appropriate wastewater management and drinking water services are provided as needs or standards change; and
c) consideration is given to the capacity of the wastewater management and drinking water systems needed to accommodate new development.
6.2.3 Before land is designated for development that requires municipal wastewater services, drinking water services or both, the planning authority must confirm, in a manner acceptable to the Province, that there is sufficient capacity in the relevant services to accommodate the new development.
If capacity is determined to be insufficient, local or intermunicipal means and solutions must be implemented to increase capacity, as required, before the land is designated for development.
6.2.4 Development reliant on onsite disposal fields for wastewater management should not be permitted in order to satisfy development pressures in areas where serviced development cannot be accommodated because of insufficient municipal wastewater services capacity.
6.2.5 Piped water and wastewater infrastructure is the preferred form of servicing for urban centres .
6.2.6 In settlement areas with a piped wastewater management system , appropriate intensification activities may be undertaken to optimize the cost-effectiveness of the service.
6.2.7 In settlement areas with piped water and wastewater infrastructure services,
a) new development must be connected to those services; and
b) existing development with onsite water and wastewater infrastructure must be connected to those services through a phased approach.
An exception to the requirement that development be connected to those services may be permitted if it is demonstrated that extending the services to the particular development is physically impracticable.
6.2.8 In planning for development that is not intended to be connected to piped wastewater management services and drinking water services,
a) to accommodate disposal fields, lot sizes for a development must be at least two acres, or otherwise be in accordance with the Onsite Wastewater Management Systems Regulation , Manitoba Regulation 83/2003; and
b) for land uses that can be anticipated to require drinking water, a drinking water source must be identified that can provide a sustainable, onsite supply of drinking water over the long term.
6.2.9 Extension of piped water and wastewater management services beyond the boundaries of a settlement area must occur in a planning context that takes into consideration the area, including the region or regions, that may be affected by the extension.
6.2.10 Piped municipal water and wastewater infrastructure is not permitted to be extended beyond the boundaries of an urban centre , except if the extension is necessary to
a) address health and safety or environmental concerns respecting existing development, and is not intended to permit the expansion of new development on the periphery of an existing urban centre ; or
b) service a new industrial or major institutional development in a rural location.
6.3 Managing Solid Waste Disposal
Goals
To protect the environment by planning for effective and sufficient solid waste disposal in the Province.
To ensure that solid waste facilities are appropriately located and do not negatively impact community well-being.
Policies
6.3.1 Before approving a new land use designation or development, confirmation is required that local or intermunicipal solid waste facilities have sufficient capacity to accommodate any additional waste that may be generated.
6.3.2 Subject to policy 1.3.2, solid waste facilities must be established, and sited in an ecologically sound and cost-effective manner, in order to meet present and future demands for waste disposal in the planning district.
Policy Area 7: Transportation
Provincial interest
Transportation, including roads, rail, air and marine, is critical to Manitoba's sustainable development. By influencing where and how land is used and developed, transportation directly affects our economy, competitiveness and quality of life. As such, Manitoba's transportation system should be enhanced and protected so it can continue to move people and goods in an efficient, safe and environmentally responsible way.
Integration of land use and transportation planning will support development that is compatible with both local and provincial transportation networks. By integrating land use and transportation considerations in development decisions, planning authorities can anticipate and minimize the potential for conflicts and hazards. For example, certain land uses, depending on their type, size and operation, may have a negative impact on the function of a highway, cause unsafe conditions or accelerate the need for costly transportation upgrades. Similarly, many land uses can be negatively affected by their proximity to transportation facilities due to dust, noise or odour.
To ensure Manitoba's competitive strength in global markets, local land use decisions must support the efficiency of an interconnected and multimodal provincial transportation system that can effectively serve freight while continuing to meet mobility and tourism needs. This system must also serve new economic trends and resource developments, as well as address the transportation access and equity challenges faced by northern and remote communities.
Through development plans, planning authorities can also encourage certain development patterns, land use mixes and densities that promote transit, walking and cycling, thereby reducing the reliance on single-occupancy vehicles. Such planning supports Manitoba's Kyoto commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improves sustainability by providing a range of accessible transportation options that minimize negative impacts on the environment, stress on existing infrastructure and the cost of future infrastructure development.
7.1 Integrated Transportation System
Goals
To enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes, for people and for freight.
To increase connectivity between routes and linkages between land uses and developments.
Policies
7.1.1 In order to ensure that appropriate linkages across Manitoba's transportation system are established and maintained, planning and development decisions must be coordinated with local, regional and provincial transportation plans.
7.1.2 Corridors should be identified and encouraged if major utilities, trails and other transportation rights of way can share space.
7.1.3 To ensure that development and the transportation network are compatible and potential conflicts are minimized, development must be restricted in areas
a) where the negative impacts of being located in the vicinity of a major transportation facility, such as noise, dust or the hazardous nature of the goods associated with transportation facility, cannot be suitably mitigated; or
b) that are in the vicinity of airports and airfields, if development is incompatible with aircraft operations or the expansion of airport facilities.
7.2 Promoting Transit and Active Transportation
Goal
To foster land use patterns and development design that caters to public transit users, cyclists, pedestrians and the mobility challenged, and reduces reliance on the automobile and its associated greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution and congestion.
Policies
7.2.1 All modes of transportation, particularly more active and environmentally sustainable forms such as walking, cycling and public transit, are to be facilitated.
7.2.2 The following should be promoted to encourage more walkable, transit- supportive communities and reduce the reliance on automobiles:
a) increased densities and mixed land uses at appropriate locations;
b) linkages between public transit, streets, sidewalks, river corridors, pathways and green spaces to form an interconnected network;
c) abandoned transportation corridors being used for public transit and trails;
d) increased connectivity in the urban street system to provide more direct routes between destinations and to reduce walking times;
e) bicycle paths and walkways being incorporated in existing built-up areas and in the design of new developments;
f) the incorporation of transit-supportive measures in developments, and in particular affordable housing developments, including
i) locating transit stops within reasonable walking distances (200 m to 400
m) from residential, commercial and institutional areas,
ii) establishing safe and secure park-and-ride facilities at appropriate locations, and
iii) implementing transit priority measures to assist in the unrestricted flow of transit vehicles and overall efficiency;
g) the concentration of high trip-generating uses and public spaces in or adjacent to existing or planned transit stations and stops.
7.3 Safe and Efficient Movement of Goods and People
Goals
To increase trade and tourism by promoting the efficient and fluid movement of freight and people.
To increase the safety and security of Manitoba's transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users.
To protect public investments in transportation by ensuring land use planning and decisions preserve the efficiency and safety of the transportation system.
Policies
7.3.1 Land use planning must consider the access needs and traffic and safety implications of development.
7.3.2 Development decisions must take into consideration the requirements of The Transportation Infrastructure Act that apply to direct access to trade and major tourism routes and the regional highway network. For the purposes of this policy, the trade and major tourism routes are as identified on the map in Appendix 3.
7.3.3 Strip development, or a development that contributes to the evolution of a row of lots, that fronts on and requires direct connection to a provincial highway must not be permitted. An exception may be considered on a regional highway route if development adjacent to the route has already occurred to the extent that this policy can no longer be fully applied. For the purpose of this policy, a regional highway route means the regional highway routes identified on the map in Appendix 3.
7.3.4 Development should be directed to areas that have an existing improved intersection in place or rely on an internal road system.
7.3.5 Development that may negatively affect plans for road widening or expansion must not be permitted unless provisions are made to accommodate future widening or expansion.
7.3.6 Expansion of existing development that is bordered on one side by a transportation corridor, such as a provincial highway, major road or rail line, should be kept to the developed side of the corridor so as not to jeopardize user safety and efficiency.
7.3.7 Proposed developments that may have a detrimental impact on the operation, safety, function or expansion of provincial highways, provincial winter roads, future seasonal corridors, ferry docking facilities and ports must not be permitted unless appropriate mitigative measures can be incorporated into the development.
7.3.8 Airports and intermodal facilities must be protected from incompatible land uses that may adversely impact their operation, endanger public safety or create a potential safety hazard.
7.3.9 New developments or land uses should be planned and designed so that new at-grade rail crossings are minimized.
7.3.10 Development that will generate truck traffic requiring heavier loading than is allowed on a provincial highway or local road must not be permitted unless provisions are made to ensure that appropriate load improvements for the highway or road are incorporated into any plans for the development.
M.R. 55/2019 ; 115/2025
Policy Area 8: Mineral Resources
Provincial interest
Mineral resources are non-renewable resources that are indispensable in our daily lives; however, their contributions to our material well-being are often overlooked. Manitobans use minerals in many forms and combinations and incorporate them into a wide range of products. For example, the nickel, copper and zinc produced in Manitoba mines are essential in the manufacturing of products such as buses, airplanes and health care equipment. Mining is also a vital component of the economy. It provides significant employment opportunities and is the second leading primary resource sector after agriculture.
Much of Manitoba's mineral product is exported and significantly contributes to the province's merchandising export.
Manitoba has ownership and authority of its mines and mineral rights, including royalties. Manitoba has a system of dual land tenure where surface rights and mineral rights can be separate and owned by different parties. As a result, potential for access, use and occupation conflicts exists. It is in the provincial interest to honour mineral access and development rights associated with mineral disposition and ensure that appropriate security of tenure is achieved.
Mineral exploration and development is an interim land use. Access to lands containing mineral potential is essential to ensure the availability of construction materials and other materials that contribute to Manitobans' economic and social well-being.
Manitoba's aggregate and quarry minerals industry produce essential raw materials that are required to support private and public sector construction and infrastructure needs. This non-renewable resource has no cost-effective substitute for most end uses, and it is therefore in the public interest to protect high-quality aggregate and quarry mineral resources from conflicting surface land uses to minimize both construction and environmental costs. Quarry mineral extraction, particularly aggregate, is Manitoba's largest mining sector by land area disturbed and volume produced.
Other types of quarry mineral extraction, such as sphagnum peat moss harvesting, possess unique land use and planning requirements and considerations.
8.1 Mineral Resource Planning
Goals
To ensure access to mineral , oil and natural gas resources and the development rights associated with mineral disposition by protecting economically valuable mineral , oil and natural gas resources from land uses that would preclude exploration, extraction and development.
To provide long-term security and access to high and medium potential mineral lands.
To ensure that quarry mineral extraction and harvesting occurs in an environmentally responsible manner.
Policies
8.1.1 Mineral , oil and natural gas resources, including lands containing high mineral potential, such as greenstone belts and the Thompson Nickel Belt, must be identified and protected from conflicting surface land uses that could interfere with access to the resources.
8.1.2 Only uses that are compatible with exploration, extraction and development of the resources should be accommodated on lands adjacent to land identified under policy 8.1.1. In addition, appropriate buffers must be identified and enforced to ensure that adjacent land uses do not unduly restrict exploration, extraction and development.
8.1.3 Without limiting policy 8.1.1, in accordance with the provincial designation of land respecting mineral , oil and natural gas resources, for an area of land designated as
a) "high", the dominant land use should be exploration and extraction; and
b) "medium", conflicting surface land uses may be accommodated only after provincial consultation and approval.
For the purposes of this policy, the Province will designate the following areas as "high" and "medium":
High:
1 Mineral management areas and limited use lands, as designated under The Mines and Minerals Act .
2 Areas that contain known deposits of valuable mineral , oil and natural gas resources.
3 Areas that have high potential for the discovery of deposits of valuable mineral , oil and natural gas resources.
4 Areas that contain valid mining claims or quarry mineral leases in good standing, if the existing surface land use allows for exploration and extraction.
Medium:
1 Areas that contain known deposits of mineral , oil and natural gas resources that are not of high quality or have not had the full potential of the deposits proven.
2 Areas for which an exploration licence or quarry exploration permit have been issued.
8.1.4 Mineral , oil and natural gas exploration and development is to be recognized as an interim land use. As such, a non-conflicting land use may be permitted for the surface of areas designated by the province as "high" or "medium" before development and extraction begins.
8.1.5 The mineral tenure system and rights must be effectively integrated into land use and resource planning. Valid mineral access rights — including the right to enter, use and occupy the surface of land to prospect or explore for or develop, mine and produce minerals — must be honoured and appropriate security of tenure must be ensured.
8.1.6 Before establishing a land use that will permit a commercial sphagnum peat moss harvesting operation, consideration should be given to such things as access requirements and potential offsite drainage impacts.
8.1.7 If extraction of minerals , oil or natural gas ceases on land, the surface of which was prime agricultural land before the extraction began, the land must be rehabilitated to the same average soil quality for agriculture as is found on the surrounding lands.
Policy Area 9: Capital Region
Provincial interest
Although it makes up only 1.2% of the Province's total land base, the capital region is home to over two thirds of Manitoba's population, with Winnipeg as its economic centre.
Winnipeg's status as the economic and population centre of Manitoba makes it especially significant to the Province and therefore it is appropriate that the provincial government, representing all Manitobans, pay attention to how Winnipeg and the surrounding municipalities that make up the capital region grow and develop. It is important to the Province that planning in the capital region supports sustainable and strategic development and takes advantage of the opportunities that make it competitive with other similar regions in Canada.
The capital region is a unique part of Manitoba as it relates to land use and development. The small size of the region relative to the scale and variety of land uses and interests within it increases the potential for land use incompatibility and conflict. For example, the capital region is located within the Red River Valley, which is home to some of the best agricultural soils in Canada, but also sees major flooding. For the capital region to develop in a smart and sustainable manner, land use planning must guide development in such a way that allows for growth, while protecting these valued lands and ensuring safety from flooding.
Additionally, many issues, such as transportation, drainage or water-related issues are intermunicipal in nature and development in one municipality will often impact on another. These situations can lead to conflict, but with cooperation can be avoided or minimized. For these reasons, the Province is interested in fostering a coordinated and regional approach to planning and development in the capital region .
9.1 Capital Region Planning
Goal
To develop a safe, healthy and prosperous capital region with a strong core city, through strengthened regional cooperation and partnerships.
Policies
9.1.1 Regional consistency should be promoted by encouraging the coordination and integration of development plan policies in the capital region .
9.1.2 To facilitate and promote the capital region's competitive edge over other Canadian centres, planning authorities in the capital region should collaborate on regional strategies for
a) sustainable economic development;
b) immigration;
c) growth management;
d) transportation network integration;
e) tourism, heritage and recreational development;
f) water quality and supply;
g) solid waste and wastewater management;
h) agricultural lands protection and diversification;
i) riparian area management; and
j) other regional strategies determined by consensus.
9.1.3 Land use planning in the capital region should be coordinated to protect and capitalize on the region's key economic advantages, including
a) the intermodal transportation facilities;
b) the Mid-Continent Trade Corridor for air, rail and truck transport industry development;
c) the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport, its 24-hour operation status, and the clustering of industrial development in the vicinity of the airport;
d) the clustered biomedical facilities in Winnipeg; and
e) any other emerging sectors of economic growth identified in the capital region .
9.1.4 To ensure Manitoba's capital region is enhanced as an attractive place to live, planning authorities in the capital region should coordinate and cooperate on plans to provide the following within the capital region :
a) a range of housing and transportation options;
b) efficient, environmentally sound and sustainable public services ;
c) a diversity of recreational, cultural and educational amenities;
d) safe and healthy neighbourhoods;
e) interconnecting parks, open spaces, wildlife areas, heritage resources and waterfronts by pathways or trails suitable for bicycle and pedestrian use;
f) shoreline and riparian area management to protect water quality, enhance stability and prevent erosion.
9.1.5 Development plan policy for urban centres in the capital region should promote the development of sustainable communities that offer employment, shopping and entertainment opportunities for residents.
9.1.6 To encourage efficient and cost-effective provision of public services , communities in the capital region should collaborate on the potential for regional services and revenue sharing.
PART 4
DEVELOPMENT PLANS
Provincial Interest
Planning authorities are responsible for land use planning within their own planning areas . To help guide development and manage change, planning authorities adopt development plan by-laws.
Development plan by-laws set out the goals and policies for development within a planning area . They are the cornerstone for decision-making related to land use and development and must be kept current to reflect the goals and vision the community is trying to achieve. They also need to be respectful of aboriginal and treaty rights and any requirements for consultation.
While land use decisions are a local responsibility, the Province has a vested interest in how land and resources are planned and how development occurs across Manitoba. The PLUPs express this interest and development plan by-laws must be generally consistent with them.
"Generally consistent" means that development plan by-laws will embody the principles of sound land use planning as expressed in the PLUPs , and the goals, plans and policies contained in development plan by-laws will reflect the spirit and intent of the PLUPs . This is important because once a development plan by-law is adopted, the PLUPs no longer apply to the planning area until a plan is being amended or reviewed. As such, a development plan by-law is ultimately jointly approved and endorsed by both the planning authority and the Province.
To ensure that development plan by-laws are prepared consistently and of a high standard, the following requirements outline how plans should be prepared, amended and reviewed. In addition, the policy areas set out in the PLUPs provide the content that should be addressed by development plan by-laws, as they reflect the provincial interests.
It is also intended that development plan by-law policies be mutually supportive of the policies of other local or regional plans, including integrated watershed management plans, transportation plans, municipal emergency and business continuity plans and climate change action plans.
Development plans need to be respectful of Treaty and Aboriginal rights and any requirements for consultation.
The ultimate goal is to ensure that all planning authorities adopt comprehensive and integrated development plan by-laws within the overall provincial policy framework that supports the sustainable development of Manitoba and reflects the provincial interest in and local considerations for land, resources and development.
Long-term vision to guide process
1(1) A planning authority must, when preparing its development plan, develop a long-term vision that supports the health and well-being of residents, the economy and environment of the planning area , and set goals, policies and time lines for achieving the vision.
1(2) When reviewing or amending its development plan, a planning authority must ensure that
a) its long-term vision is reviewed and updated if necessary; and
b) amendments to the development plan are considered in the context of the long-term vision.
Coordination
2(1) A planning authority must ensure that its development plan reflects and is coordinated with
a) other relevant plans, and that the policies within the various plans are mutually supportive; and
b) provincially approved plans for highway system upgrading or enhancement.
2(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), and without limitation, a planning authority must consider the following when preparing its development plan:
a) the development plans for the areas within the same region as the planning authority , and in particular the development plans for the areas adjacent to the planning area ;
b) local environmental plans, including any applicable climate change action plans;
c) integrated watershed management plans and basin or aquifer plans that have been done for any part of the planning area ;
d) local wastewater management and drinking water service plans;
e) transportation plans;
f) access management plans that are based on the local road hierarchy and traffic forecasts.
2(3) A planning authority must consult with the Public Schools Finance Board and local school divisions to ensure that its development plan and any subsequent secondary plans
a) contain appropriate policies to support the needs of the Finance Board and local school divisions; and
b) take into consideration the long-term land use and development impacts that the siting of public education facilities will have in the planning area .
Development plan requirements
3(1) A development plan must identify and compare the location of resources and environmental features with the location of existing development, in order to identify the opportunities for growth and the limits to growth in the planning area .
3(2) A development plan must identify a road hierarchy for local roads that determines the functions and significance of those roads and their place within the regional and provincial transportation system. For the purposes of this policy, the provincial transportation system means provincial trunk highways, provincial roads, seasonal roads, airports, rail lines and facilities and ferry docking facilities identified on the map in Appendix 3.
Studies to be done as part of development plan
4(1) In preparing, amending or replacing a development plan, a planning authority must undertake the analysis and surveys of the planning area that are appropriate and necessary, including analysis and surveys of
a) the economic and fiscal capacity of the planning area to support and pay for development;
b) the agriculture, forestry, wildlife, heritage, natural lands and mineral resources in the planning area ;
c) the capacity of resources, such as water , in the planning area to support development;
d) demographic and population projections;
e) the supply and demand for residential and other land uses;
f) the existing housing stock and projected housing needs;
g) the traffic impacts of development and the options for addressing future transportation needs;
h) the existing and forecasted amounts and sources of greenhouse gas emissions;
i) the existing and future drinking water servicing and wastewater management needs of the planning area and options for addressing those needs;
j) the vulnerabilities of the planning area to climate change; and
k) any other matter related to the present or future physical, environmental, social, cultural or economic characteristics of the planning area that may be relevant to the development plan.
4(2) The planning authority must undertake the required analysis and surveys with the assistance of qualified professionals in planning and other related disciplines and have the level of detail and complexity of the analyses and surveys prepared to a degree that corresponds to local circumstances and the matter under consideration.
Long-term land uses to be addressed
5(1) A planning authority must ensure that its development plan provides for an appropriate mix of land uses, within the planning area's regional context, to meet the anticipated needs of the planning area .
5(2) In order to ensure that the anticipated needs are met, the planning authority must
a) using recent and projected growth rates,
i) provide a sufficient supply of serviceable lots to accommodate demand for various land uses over the intermediate planning horizon, and
ii) designate land uses and identify directions for growth on the basis of a long-term planning horizon; and
b) take into consideration the regional supply and demand for land uses when designating land.
5(3) As part of its planning for the intermediate and long-term planning horizons, a planning authority must identify the public services that are planned or required over those periods, and address how the expenses respecting the public services will be paid.
Inconsistency
6 A provision of a development plan by-law that is inconsistent with an enactment in force in the province is of no effect to the extent of the inconsistency.
PART 5
LIVESTOCK OPERATIONS
INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS
Definitions
1(1) The following
definitions apply in this Part.
"Act" means The Planning Act . (« Loi »)
"animal unit" means the number of animals of a particular category of livestock that will excrete 73 kg of total nitrogen in a 12-month period. (« unité animale »)
"collection basin" means a structure
a) intended to collect runoff water contaminated with manure in an agricultural operation; and
b) constructed primarily from soil by excavating or forming dikes. (« bassin collecteur »)
"earthen manure storage facility" means a structure built primarily from soil, constructed by excavating or forming dikes, and used for storing or treating livestock manure, but does not include
a) a collection basin;
b) a field storage site; or
c) a temporary composting site for manure. (« installation de stockage de déjections en terre »)
"field storage site" means an area where solid livestock manure is stored in the open air, but does not include an earthen manure storage facility or a non-earthen manure storage facility. (« lieu de stockage dans un champ »)
"molehill" means a structure in which manure is mechanically forced through a pipe and becomes mounded. (« monticule »)
"non-earthen manure storage facility" means a non-earthen structure, molehill, tank or other non-earthen facility for storing or treating manure, but does not include a gutter or concrete pit used to contain liquid or semi-solid manure for less than 30 days for the purpose of moving the manure to a manure storage facility. (« installation de stockage de déjections non réalisée à l'aide de terre »)
"residence" includes a residence that is lawfully under construction and a residence for which a permit for construction has been issued. (« résidence »)
1(2) Subject to
section 2, in the Act and in this regulation, "category of livestock" means a category of livestock set out in Column 1 of the table in Appendix 2.
Determining total animal units in a livestock operation
2 For the purpose of the Act and this regulation, the total number of animal units in a livestock operation is the sum of the animal units, as determined under
section 3, produced by each category of livestock in the operation.
Determining animal units
3(1) For animals that are within a category of livestock set out in Column 1 of the table in Appendix 2, the number of animal units in the category is to be determined by dividing the number of animals in the category by the factor listed in Column 3 of the table for that category of livestock.
3(2) For animals that are not within a category of livestock set out in Column 1 of the table in Appendix 2, the number of the animals that constitutes one animal unit is the number of animals of that category that will excrete 73 kg of total nitrogen in a 12-month period.
3(3) For the purpose of subsection (2), the categories of livestock, and the amount of nitrogen that an animal within a category of livestock will excrete in a 12-month period, shall be determined by taking into consideration the guidelines or standards published or approved by the Manitoba Department of Agriculture.
M.R. 115/2025
SITING AND SETBACK REQUIREMENTS
Siting standards
4(1) In a zoning by-law, the minimum standards respecting siting of a new or expanded livestock operation must not be inconsistent with the minimum separation distances set out in the table in Appendix 1.
4(2) The separation distances for siting a new or expanded livestock operation may only be determined by reference to the residences and designated areas that exist on the day the application to develop or expand the livestock operation is received by the applicable municipality.
4(3) A residence, including a motor home or trailer, that is associated with the livestock operation shall not be taken into consideration when determining if a new or expanded livestock operation meets the minimum standards respecting siting set out in the table in Appendix 1 and the applicable zoning by-law.
4(4) For certainty, a livestock operation is not subject to the siting standards prescribed in subsection (1) if, before the coming into force of this section,
a) the council of the municipality has approved it;
b) a valid development permit has been issued for it;
c) it was lawfully operating; or
d) it was lawfully being constructed.
Setback standards
5 In a zoning by-law, the minimum standards respecting setbacks for a new or expanded livestock operation must not be inconsistent with the minimum setback requirements from property lines and water features prescribed in the Livestock Manure and Mortalities Management Regulation , Manitoba Regulation 42/98.
RELATED LIVESTOCK OPERATIONS
Deemed single livestock operations
6 For the purpose of subclause 1.1(b)(ii) of the Act, two or more existing or proposed livestock operations are deemed to be a single livestock operation in the following circumstances:
1. One livestock operation is owned by a person and the other is owned by his or her spouse or common-law partner, if the person and his or her spouse or common-law partner live together in the same residence.
2. Two or more operations are owned by different corporations, if at least 50% of all shares carrying voting rights in each of the corporations are owned — directly or indirectly — by the same person or entity.
3. Two or more operations are owned by different partnerships, if the partnerships have at least one partner in common.
4. One operation is owned by a person and another is owned by
a) a corporation, if the person that owns the operation also owns — directly or indirectly — at least 50% of all shares carrying voting rights in the corporation; or
b) by a partnership, if the person that owns the operation is also a partner in the partnership.
5. One operation is owned by a corporation and another is owned by a partnership, if
a) the corporation is also a partner in the partnership, or
b) one of the partners, or the partnership itself, also owns — directly or indirectly — at least 50% of all shares carrying voting rights in the corporation.
APPENDIX 1
Minimum Separation Distances for Siting Livestock Operations
(Subsection 4(1) of
Part 5)
Separation Distance in Metres (Feet) from a Residence
Separation Distance in Metres (Feet) from a Designated Area
Size of Livestock Operation in Animal Units
To Earthen Manure Storage Facility or Feedlot
To Animal Confinement Facility or Non-earthen Manure Storage Facility
To Earthen Manure Storage Facility or Feedlot
To Animal Confinement Facility or Non-earthen Manure Storage Facility
10 – 100
200 (656)
100 (328)
800 (2,625)
530 (1,739)
101 – 200
300 (984)
150 (492)
1,200 (3,937)
800 (2,625)
201 – 300
400 (1,312)
200 (656)
1,600 (5,249)
1,070 (3,511)
301 – 400
450 (1,476)
225 (738)
1,800 (5,906)
1,200 (3,937)
401 – 800
500 (1,640)
250 (820)
2,000 (6,561)
1,330 (4,364)
801 – 1,600
600 (1,968)
300 (984)
2,400 (7,874)
1,600 (5,249)
1,601 – 3,200
700 (2,297)
350 (1,148)
2,800 (9,186)
1,870 (6,135)
3,201 – 6,400
800 (2,625)
400 (1,312)
3,200 (10,499)
2,130 (6,988)
6,401 – 12,800
900 (2,953)
450 (1,476)
3,600 (11,811)
2,400 (7,874)
>12,800
1,000 (3,281)
500 (1,640)
4,000 (13,123)
2,670 (8,760)
Definitions
The following
definitions apply in this Schedule.
"animal confinement facility" means a barn or an outdoor area where livestock are confined by fences or other structures, and includes a seasonal feeding area but does not include a feedlot or a grazing area. (« installation de confinement pour animaux »)
"designated area" means an area designated for use as an urban centre, settlement centre, rural residential area, cottage area, park area or recreational area in the applicable development plan. (« zone désignée »)
"feedlot" means an outdoor area that is fenced to confine livestock solely for the purpose of growing or finishing, but does not include
a) a grazing area; or
b) a seasonal feeding area. (« parc d'engraissement »)
"grazing area" means an outdoor area where livestock are primarily sustained for part of the year by the direct consumption of feed grown on the area and manure does not accumulate such that mechanical removal or redistribution is required. (« pâturage »)
"seasonal feeding area" means an outdoor area, other than a feedlot or grazing area, where
a) livestock are given their supplemental or total feed requirements on a seasonal basis; and
b) because of its accumulation, manure must be removed from the area by mechanical means from time to time. (« aire d'alimentation saisonnière »)
APPENDIX 2
ANIMAL UNITS BY CATEGORY OF LIVESTOCK
(Subsections 1(2) and 3(1) of
Part 5)
Column 1
Category of Livestock
Column 2
Animal Units Produced by One Livestock
Column 3
Factor to be used to Determine Animal Units
(Number of livestock to produce one animal unit)
Dairy
Milking Cows (including associated livestock)
0.5
Beef
Beef Cows (including associated livestock)
1.25
0.8
Backgrounder
0.5
Summer pasture / replacement heifers
0.625
1.6
Feeder Cattle
0.769
1.3
Hogs
Sows, farrow to finish
1.25
0.8
Sows, farrow to weanling
0.25
Sows, farrow to nursery
0.313
3.2
Weanlings
0.033
Growers / finishers
0.143
Boars (artificial insemination operations)
0.2
Chickens
Broilers
0.005
Roasters
0.01
Layers
0.0083
Pullets
0.0033
Broiler Breeder Pullets
0.0033
Broiler Breeder Hens
0.01
Turkeys
Broilers
0.01
Heavy Toms
0.02
Heavy Hens
0.01
Horses
Mares (including associated livestock)
1.333
0.75
Sheep
Ewes (including associated livestock)
0.2
Feeder Lambs
0.063
APPENDIX 3
MANITOBA TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
ANNEXE
PARTIE 1
DÉFINITIONS
autorité chargée de l'aménagement du territoire Commission d'un district d'aménagement du territoire ou conseil d'une municipalité qui est tenu d'adopter un plan de mise en valeur. (planning authority)
bien-fonds exposé aux inondations Bien-fonds qui, selon le cas :
a) est inondé par une crue équivalente ou inférieure à la crue nominale ;
b) est connu pour ses inondations;
c) est inondé lorsque survient une crue précisée par la province dans une zone protégée par des ouvrages de lutte contre les inondations. (land subject to flooding)
bien-fonds viable de classe inférieure Bien-fonds, à l'exclusion d'une terre agricole à fort rendement , qui est occupé ou a déjà été occupé par des exploitations agricoles et qui pourrait l'être encore. (viable lower class land)
centre urbain Agglomération constituée en corporation, ville ou village. La présente définition vise notamment les zones habitées :
a) comptant au moins 25 résidences permanentes;
b) regroupant divers services commerciaux et services communautaires;
c) ayant un fondement historique ou un nom de lieu. (urban centre)
chalet Élément d'un ensemble résidentiel rural qui est destiné à une utilisation saisonnière ou temporaire. (cottage)
crue nominale Crue d'une étendue d'eau qui a une probabilité moyenne de se produire tous les cent ans. (design flood)
densification Mise en valeur d'une densité plus élevée que ce qui existe actuellement qui comprend le réaménagement de biens, l'agrandissement ou la conversion de bâtiments existants, la réutilisation de friches industrielles , la mise en valeur de biens sous-utilisés, l'édification sur terrain intercalaire et l'agencement d'usages des biens-fonds qui sont compatibles. (intensification)
eau Eau de surface et eau souterraine. (water)
ensemble résidentiel rural Ensemble de résidences unifamiliales non agricoles qui occupe une grande superficie et qui est situé à l'extérieur d'un centre urbain . (rural residential)
érosion À l'égard d'un bien-fonds, bien-fonds qui, au cours d'une période de 50 ans, peut devenir érodé ou instable sous l'action de l'eau qui se trouve dans une étendue d'eau adjacente. (erosion)
étendue d'eau Tout endroit où il y a de l'eau, qu'elle soit stagnante ou courante, qu'elle s'y trouve de façon naturelle ou artificielle et que son écoulement ou sa présence soit continuel, intermittent ou sporadique, comme pendant une inondation. La présente définition vise notamment les lacs, les rivières, les ruisseaux, les marécages et les terres humides ainsi que la glace qui recouvre leur surface. (water body)
exploitation agricole Activité agricole, horticole ou sylvicole réalisée dans le but de produire des produits agricoles à des fins commerciales. Sont assimilées aux exploitations agricoles :
a) la production de cultures, y compris les céréales, les oléagineux, le foin et le fourrage, et de cultures horticoles, y compris les légumes, les fruits, les champignons, le gazon, les arbres, les arbustes et les cultures en serre;
b) l'utilisation de biens-fonds pour l'élevage du bétail et le pâturage;
c) la production d'œufs, de lait et de miel;
d) l'élevage de gibier à poil, d'animaux à fourrure, de gibier à plumes, d'abeilles et de poissons;
e) la transformation nécessaire à la préparation d'un produit agricole en vue de sa distribution depuis la ferme;
f) l'utilisation de machines et de matériel agricoles, notamment pour le labourage ainsi que pour l'épandage d'engrais, de fumier, d'amendements du sol et de pesticides, que ce soit au sol ou par voie aérienne;
g) le stockage, l'utilisation ou l'élimination de déchets organiques à des fins agricoles. (agricultural operation)
ferme
Partie du bien-fonds d'une exploitation agricole qui est habituellement entourée d'un brise-vent bien défini et qui comprend l'habitation du producteur agricole ainsi que les installations et bâtiments associés à l' exploitation agricole . (farmstead site)
friche industrielle Emplacement commercial ou industriel abandonné, vacant ou sous-utilisé qui est susceptible d'être contaminé. (brownfield sites)
habitat faunique essentiel Type d'habitat crucial pour assurer la taille de la population, la répartition ou la stabilité d'une espèce faunique dans une zone. Sont assimilés aux habitats fauniques essentiels :
a) les terres qui sont actuellement boisées ou qui se composent d'une combinaison appropriée de zones boisées et de clairières et qui appartiennent à la classe 1, 1W, 2, 2W, 3, 3W ou 4 des terres pour ongulés, selon l' Inventaire des terres du Canada ;
b) les terres appartenant à la classe 1, 2, 3 ou 4 des terres humides, selon l' Inventaire des terres du Canada ;
c) les zones de prairies indigènes continues ayant une superficie supérieure à 20 acres;
d) les habitats importants pour les espèces migratoires et pour le maintien d'une population faunique dans une région. (critical and significant wildlife habitat)
infrastructure d'approvisionnement en eau et de traitement des eaux usées S'entend d'un réseau d'eau potable et d'un système de gestion des eaux usées . (water and wastewater infrastructure)
Inventaire des terres du Canada Cartes dressées par les gouvernements du Canada et du Manitoba qui indiquent le potentiel des terres pour l'agriculture, la foresterie, la faune et les loisirs. (Canada Land Inventory)
minéral Substance définie comme un minéral au sens de la
Loi sur les mines et les minéraux et de ses règlements d'application. (mineral)
PPUB Politiques provinciales d'usage des biens-fonds. (PLUPs)
producteur agricole Personne qui produit et vend un produit agricole. (agricultural producer)
région de la capitale Municipalités mentionnées dans la
Loi sur le Partenariat de la région de la capitale . (capital region)
réseau d'eau potable Système servant à pomper, emmagasiner, traiter et distribuer l'eau potable qui comprend les installations et les services assurant l'approvisionnement en eau potable. (drinking water system)
richesse du patrimoine S'entend des sites du patrimoine, des objets du patrimoine et des travaux et assemblages de travaux crées naturellement ou par l'activité humaine qui présentent une valeur archéologique, paléontologique, préhistorique, historique, culturelle, naturelle, scientifique ou esthétique et qui peuvent prendre la forme de sites, d'objets ou d'une combinaison des deux. (heritage resource)
services publics Les infrastructures, commodités et services fournis au public, notamment :
a) les infrastructures utilisées pour l'eau et les eaux usées, le transport, les déchets solides et d'autres services publics;
b) les ouvrages de régularisation des eaux, y compris les digues, les barrages, les drains de surface ou souterrains, les étendues d'eau naturelles améliorées, les canaux, les tunnels, les ponts, les buses, les trous de forage et les autres dispositifs servant au transport ou à la régularisation de l'eau et qui, selon le cas :
i) modifient ou peuvent modifier temporairement ou en permanence le cours de l' eau ou le nive