At the heart of our Community Strategic Plan lies a fundamental lies a fundamental commitment to being exemplary Environmental Stewards. We take pride in our environment conservation, not only within Manitoba but within Canada. Our dedication to the environment drives us to be innovative and set new benchmarks throughout the initiatives and choices we make, placing the protection and preservation of our environment at the forefront of our priorities.

A Core Tenant of Our Community Strategic Plan

Here are TEN impactful ways through which we are actively engaging in environmental stewardship and continuing to drive positive change:

1. CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION STRATEGY

aerial image of the river and selkirk in the backdrop.

The strategy that leads the way. Initiated in 2018, our Climate Change Adaptation Strategy provides a comprehensive, practical and cost-effective plan to address the impacts of climate change on our municipal services and our citizens.
We integrate this work into our day to day operations through our capital asset management program while using
leading practices to quantify, plan, budget and actually undertake the work that’s required in order to adapt over the
next 50 years.

2. SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

image of houses being built in a new development

We’re prioritizing sustainable development, meeting present needs without compromising the future. Sustainability drives growth, attracting investment through forward-thinking policies. Economic resilience is achieved through sustainable practices, making Selkirk a prosperous business environment. We’re investing in a better tomorrow through actions like eco-friendly housing and green spaces. With established infrastructure and climate adaptation plans, we’re seizing opportunities and securing future prosperity for businesses and the community.

See SelkirkNow.

3. CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT STRATEGY (CAMP)

image of two people cataloguing trees

Doing it once, doing it right by CAMPing. In 2014, we began woking on the creation CAMP – an innovative practice that allows us to better catalog, track and manage our assets. Using predictive modelling techniques, long-range maintenance planning and long-term financial planning tools, CAMP enables us to get the most out of our
infrastructure, maximizing the service life of our assets and helping us make better, more cost-effective decisions.

4. RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

geo thermal system at the water treatment plant

Our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint continues through the practice of replacing gas vehicles with electric or hybrid and eliminating fossil fuels to heat and cool buildings. In fact – we’re aiming to be the greenest utility we can be with our utility fleet now being 50 per cent electric and our water treatment plant making the switch to geothermal. From a GHG perspective, the water treatment plant was the second largest point source of emissions
in the city, with the old wastewater treatment plant being the largest contributor. The new state-of-the art regional wastewater plant is fossil fuel free in its operations and now uses heat pumps and electricity to heat and cool the entire building – future plans include a solar field to power the building. Plus, the Selkirk Recreation Complex is home to one of, if not the, largest rooftop solar power panel grid in the province.

5. ENHANCING AND PROMOTING PUBLIC AND ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS

kids on bikes on an AT pathway

We’re putting our Active Transportation Strategy into action through extensions to our existing pathways allowing pedestrians and those on bikes to get from one end of Selkirk to the other. Selkirk Transit has been providing transportation options for over 12 years now and beyond the inclusion of hybrid buses – we’re developing a new Transit 2.0 strategy which could include new ride-share and public transportation options to better suit the needs of our citizens.

6. GREENHOUSE GAS ACCOUNTABILITY BYLAW

electric vehicle lineup including card, suv's and a zamboni

In 2021, we took a significant step towards environmental accountability by passing its greenhouse gas accountability
bylaw, which mandates the tracking and reporting of corporate and community emissions using internationally recognized standards. This law sets reduction targets aligned with global efforts and establishes funding to ensure the we have the necessary resources to achieve our goals. Moreover, it requires us to consider climate change impacts in all future decision-making processes. our commitment to transparency is evident in our submission of annual community-wide emissions data to the Carbon Disclosure Project, making us one of the smallest communities worldwide to meet this international reporting standard.

7. URBAN CANOPY

two people planting a tree on a median on main street

Trees are some of our most important assets. They are our natural assets. That’s why we make an active effort
to document and diversify the kinds of trees we have and plant. Our very own Urban Forestry & Naturalization
Coordinator plans and implements urban forestry programs and initiatives that aim to improve the city’s urban
canopy and biodiversity and reduce emissions from maintenance activities.

8. NATURALIZATION

wildflowers growing on a median

Our Urban Forestry and Naturalization Coordinator has been analyzing and improving current green infrastructure through sustainable methods with the goal of reducing the our environmental footprint and operational costs. We’ve starting to convert areas such as underused park spaces, boulevards and medians throughout the city into naturalized
spaces using clover, wildflowers and prairie grasses turning these spaces into Prairie ecosystems that better support pollinators and other species. Learn more on Selkirk’s naturalization efforts here.

9. SEWER AND STORMWATER SEPARATION

City of Selkirk Sewer and Storm Water

Using our Capital Asset Management Program, we have been investing into separating our combines sewer network which minimizes the impact on our draining system and sewer backup in homes during heavy rain events. Sewer separation is a critical objective of the city’s award-winning Climate Change Adaption Strategy (CCAS) and
achieving full separation will take tens of millions of dollars over the coming years. By using our asset management
program we’re creating opportunities to link this work directly with projects therefore making it as cost-effective as
possible.

10. STATE-OF-THE-ART REGIONAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT

wastewater treatment plant aerial photo
Our state of the art wastewater treatment centre is a centre of excellence, heated and cooled without fossil fuels

This impressive plant not only surpasses current provincial regulations but is also poised to do so well into the future, accommodating Selkirk’s growth for years to come. The effluent it produces is of such high quality that it approaches potability, safeguarding the health of our waterways, notably the Red River. Moreover, the effluent will be used as reclaimed water (or rewater), which will be used for nearby industries, transforming what was once waste product into a vital manufacturing resource. Renowned as a center of excellence, the plant draws visits from elected officials
across government levels and provides hands-on training for environmental students. Learn more about Selkirk’s wastewater treatment plant here.

By actively pursuing these avenues, we are not only fulfilling our commitment to environmental stewardship but also inspiring positive change and fostering a sustainable future for generations to come.

Looking for more information? Reach out through CitizenSupport
204-785-4900

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