The Manitoba Wildlife Federation says it supports conservation efforts in northern Manitoba’s Seal River Watershed but is raising concerns about governance, hunting access and long-term control under a proposed protected area model.
The watershed, spanning roughly 50,000 square kilometres (about eight per cent of the province) is being considered for designation as an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area under a “mosaic” model. The plan, led by the Seal River Watershed Alliance in partnership with provincial and federal governments, could include both a national park and a provincial park.
Chris Heald, a senior policy advisor with the federation, said the organization supports protecting the region but questions whether the proposed structure is necessary or appropriate.
“We’re pro-conservation, that’s our history,” Heald said in an interview. “But we don’t feel we need another federal park in Manitoba, and we have concerns about how this would be managed.”
Under the proposal, about 31,000 square kilometres would be designated as a provincial park, remaining open to licensed hunting, angling and outfitting. Another roughly 18,500 square kilometres would become a national park, where non-Indigenous hunting would be phased out over 10 years.
Heald said the area is already widely used by hunters, anglers and outfitters, with more than 70 licensed outfitters operating in the region.
“It’s a niche because of how remote it is, but it’s very well-used for caribou hunting, fishing, paddling,” he said.
The federation’s primary concern centres on governance. The proposal includes a joint management board overseeing both the national and provincial park areas, a model Heald said could shift decision-making authority away from the province.
“Our polling shows Manitobans want provincial parks managed by their elected government,” he said. “With an appointed board, you lose that direct accountability.”
Heald said the possibility of federal and non-elected influence over provincial park decisions raises questions about who ultimately controls access, wildlife management and resource use.
“If we start turning that decision-making over, you risk losing local voice, and once it’s gone, it’s very hard to get back,” he said.
The federation is also concerned about the potential precedent such a model could set for other parks in the province.
“If this works here, what stops it from being applied elsewhere?” Heald said.
He pointed to past federal park decisions, including restrictions in Wapusk National Park and Riding Mountain National Park, that have raised concerns among hunters and outfitters.
Beyond hunting access, Heald said removing hunters and anglers from the landscape could have broader implications for conservation.
“They’re the eyes and ears on the ground,” he said. “A lot of conservation enforcement and reporting comes from people who are actually out there.”
The federation also argues the region already benefits from multiple layers of protection as provincial Crown land, requiring regulatory approvals for development.
“There’s already strong protection in place,” Heald said. “So people are asking, why add another layer, and what does that actually change?”
He added the proposed phase-out of outfitting operations in the national park area could have economic ripple effects, particularly for businesses that rely on those operations.
“If there’s a 10-year end date, those businesses become very difficult to sell or sustain,” he said.
Despite its concerns, the federation says it remains open to working with partners to achieve conservation goals, but is advocating for a “made-in-Manitoba” approach that maintains provincial authority and includes hunters and outfitters in management decisions.
Public feedback on the proposal is being collected through the province’s Engage Manitoba platform until early June.
By Steven Sukkau, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Original Published on May 09, 2026 at 15:35
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