Province orders Winnipeg to study BRT impact on Parker Lands

People opposed to the Parker lands being used for the next phase of bus rapid transit are celebrating Fridaymorning after the province ordered the City of Winnipeg to study the environmental impact of development on the wetland.

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The Parker Lands is a strip of land along Parker Avenue between Pembina Highway and WaverleyStreet.

Cal Dueck of the lobby groupParker Wetlands Conservationhas been lobbying the province to force the city to look at what the environmental impact on the wetlands would be if development goes ahead as planned.

On Monday, Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship sent an email to the city requiring it to write a report including a "description of the potential effects of the project related to drainage on the structure and function of the wetland.

A description of any other potential effects of the project on the structure and function of the wetland and a drainage management plan that will ensure the project related drainage and construction of the proposed Parker Retention Pond will not impact the wetland."

The email also says the report has to be approved by Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship before any construction can start.

"It's a small hiccup in some ways for them but if we can keep up the pressure on the government and make sure that this project is done right, not just done by the seat of the pants like so many other projects have been done in Winnipeg," Dueck said.

Critics ofthe development call the area home to a rare ecosystem that could be destroyed.

Dueck wants to see studies on everything from plants to birds to insects.

Mayor Brian Bowman campaigned on completing bus rapid transit by 2030.

Dueckhopes the mayor will be persuadedto use another route.

"The problem is, this route that's been chosen is not a popular political decision. Most people that you talk to would not want the bus to run through here," Dueck said.

There is no timeline for the city to complete the report.