The Canadian CED Network – Manitoba has weighed in on the Province of Manitoba’s new environmental action plan. Tomorrow Now – Manitoba’s Green Plan outlines an eight-year strategy for protecting the environment while ensuring economic prosperity.
In our response, CCEDNet recommends that the plan include a broader definition of the term ‘sustainable,’ to acknowledge the interconnectedness of economic, social and environmental factors. We have also proposed that the province explicitly include community-owned wind energy, support for co-ops and social enterprises, and strategies to localize our food economy in Tomorrow Now. An additional cause for concern was a lack of specificity around ethical procurement strategies. The previous Sustainable Development Act included determined procurement goals and accountability, while the Green Prosperity Act hardly mentioned it at all.
Despite these shortcomings, CCEDNet recognizes that Tomorrow Now marks a significant step in the right direction towards creating a truly sustainable and robust economy in Manitoba.