Manitoba premier says he wants landfill search for remains of 2 slain First Nations women in 2024

A search of a Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of two First Nations women believed to be the victims of an alleged serial killer could happen next year, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says.

Police said a year ago thatthey believe theremains of Morgan Harris, 39, and Marcedes Myran, 26, weretaken to thePrairie Green landfill,just north of Winnipeg, in May 2022.

Since then, the families ofthe womenhave been fighting to have the landfill searched.

The former Progressive Conservative government refused to support such a search, citing hazards to workers and concerns about its feasibility.

But on Friday, Kinew whose NDP defeated the Tories in the October provincial election said he "would like a search to begin in 2024."

The province has "identified the resources internally and we are now assessing the best logistical path to deliver the search compassionately and safely," Kinewsaid in astatement emailed to CBC News.

It did not give a more specific start date, nor indicate specifics on the resources involved.

Kinew said both during the election campaign and after that his government would support a search.

On Friday, he said his government wants to ensure the families of Harris and Myran are involved and feel welcome to give input throughout the process.

He also said the province is "working with the federal government to identify what role they will play."

FederalCrown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree said last September thatthe Liberal government was willing to support a searchbut needed the provinceto get on board too.

Aday after Kinew's election,Anandasangaree announced that the federal government was providing $740,000 toLong Plain First Nation Harris and Myran's home community to further review the details of what's neededfor a potential search.

A federally funded feasibility study done last spring found a search of the landfillcould cost up to $184 million and take up to three years.

Thereport said safety measures could be taken to mitigate the potential hazards of the search.

Murder trial coming in 2024

The man accused of killing Harris and Myran, as well as two other women,is scheduled to begin at the end of April.

Jeremy Skibicki was charged in December 2022 with first-degree murder in the deaths of Harris, Myran and a still-unidentified woman later given the name Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe, or Buffalo Woman.

He hadbeen arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the death of Rebecca Contois, 24, earlier that year.

During pretrial motionsinNovember, Skibicki's lawyers argued for his right to a trial by judge alone, instead of the jury trial automatically slated because it involves first-degree murder charges.

Skibickihas pleaded not guilty to all four counts of first-degree murder.