Greening Our Cities and Communities
The Green Party of Manitoba understands that in order to achieve a truly sustainable, low- carbon society, efficiency and intelligent design need to be at the core of all new infrastructure in the province. We recognize that some of these infrastructural changes take more time than others; however, we are also aware that in the face of the climate crisis these changes must begin now. Not only will these changes reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, they will also reduce the pollution experienced in high traffic areas, and help Manitobans become more resilient as weather becomes less predictable in a changing climate.
To ensure low carbon, pollution-free and resilient communities, the Green Party of Manitoba will:
Expand green transportation and infrastructure
- Improve active transportation opportunities, such as cycling, with further infrastructure investments
- Encourage the creation of an intercity bus service in Manitoba
- Promote the use of electric vehicles in Manitoba through fee-bate programs, government fleet purchases, and the installation of a greater number of electric car charging stations
- Provide Winnipeg and other municipalities with assistance to purchase Manitoba-made electric buses
- Provide Winnipeg and other municipalities with the option for fare-free public transit
- Explore efficient and sustainable approaches to road maintenance and construction
Increase the energy efficiency of homes and other buildings
- Establish incentive programs to ensure that Manitoba’s existing buildings are properly insulated
- Change building codes to ensure that all new buildings meet super-efficiency insulation standards, and include small-scale renewable micro-generators
- Halt the expansion of natural gas services for residential heating
- Explore alternative, renewable options to natural gas heating, such as geothermal and electric
Increase the resiliency of our urban areas
- Encourage the creation of land-use projects such as urban green spaces, urban forests, and rooftop gardens in order to decrease rainwater runoff, and cool down cities during warm summers
- Explore available options to protect urban canopies from blight and disease
Move our solid waste management towards zero-waste
- Implement a system of high environmental handling fees and adequate rebates to consumers for returning recyclable items
- Implement province-wide municipal composting programs for residential, industrial, commercial and institutional sectors
- Implement a ban on all unnecessary single-use plastics, and explore additional strategies to encourage the reduction of other plastic waste
- Implement a ban on all materials that cannot by recycled
- Support local initiatives that utilize local waste for the creation of new products