Province failing to protect wetlands by allowing development in subdivision near Gimli, residents say

A group of Interlake residents say the Manitoba government is turning a blind eye to a housing development they allegewoulddestroya wetland.

They gathered at the Manitoba Legislature on Tuesday to hand-deliver documents they say demonstratethe province isn'tprotecting the wetlandsinMiklavik, a subdivisionjust off of Highway 9 south of Gimli, about 80kilometres north of Winnipeg.

The provincegranted permission in 2016 for some construction work in the areaafter three previous and more ambitious development applications were denied, according to theresidents who formed a group called The People for the Preservation of the Willow Island Coastal Wetland.

They say earlierproposals wererejectedbecause of an understanding that development should not occur on a wetland, but those objections appear to have been rescinded.

Complicit in wetland destruction: Smith

"We are concerned for the loss of that natural habitat," said Jeff Smith, speaking on behalf of the group.

The province, however, saysdevelopment is not prohibited at that location. Regrading and fill work there was approved in 2016, since the site was disturbed for flood mitigation efforts more than a decade ago, the province said.

The government said it reminded the land owner of the scope of itsworkbut the developer proceeded this year, without permission, to build a channelfor boat access. The provinceforced a stop to the constructionwhen it became aware in March.

"The land manager has been co-operative and the department continues to monitor the site to ensure compliance with the direction provided," the government said in an email.

A previous application for the land sought to build a subdivision of 156 homes, Smith said.

The latest proposal, on a smaller segment of land, is just one family home with water access to the lake, said property owner Ben Rutzin a letter to the editor published in The Express Weekly News this month.

"This is nothing more and nothing less than all other houses that have been developed, or are currently being developed, in this area," his letter reads.

Smith arguedthe government is complicit in the degradation of a wetland habitat, willfully or not.

"It seems ironic to me, and ironic to us, that the province will tout a $102-million conservation trust to fix the problems that are being created by the destruction of [wetlands] in the first place," he said, referring to a recent announcement about a fund to support conservation projects.

"Our family is committed to preserving our beautiful habitat," Rutz said in his letter in the Weekly Express.

"In fact, we have donated nearly 35 acres of Class 5 wetland to the RM of Gimli to preserve the land as a bird sanctuary for the generations to come. It was one of the last wishes of my father, Max Rutz, who passed away from cancer."

The province said in a statementapprovals for lot development are a municipal responsibility, but itdetermined the proposaldid not warrant a Water Rights Act licence.

TheEastern Interlake Planning District said it has yet to receive abuilding permit application for the property.