Wabanong Nakaygum Okimawin (WNO) Planning Initiative

The objective of the Wabanong Nakaygum Okimawin (WNO) Planning Initiative, formerly referred to as the East Side Planning Initiative, is to develop a broad area plan for the east side of Lake Winnipeg. The plan would ensure future land, resource and development decisions take into account environmental, social, health, cultural and the economic needs of the public, local communities, First Nations, and various stakeholder and interest groups.

The WNO was established by the Government of Manitoba and is made up of sixteen First Nations on the East Side of Lake Winnipeg and five other members representing the Métis and general public.

The WNO is based on the principles identified through the Consultation on Sustainable Development Implementation (COSDI), a multi-stakeholder consensus-based process (1997-1999) that examined sustainable development through the establishment of broad area plans.

The Government of Manitoba selected the east side of Lake Winnipeg as a pilot project for broad area planning based on two primary reasons:

• The region is unique and contains a vast expanse of undeveloped, contiguous boreal forest with the northern and southern edges of the forest currently being threatened as a result of climate change.
• Most communities in the region do not have access to the transportation networks and economic opportunities that most Manitobans take for granted. In many of these communities, people pay as much as three times more for basic food items. Many of these communities rely on winter roads, roads also threatened by climate change.

The construction of an all-season road on the east side of Lake Winnipeg is being undertaken in a manner that is consistent with the principles of the WNO planning initiative.

Link to www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/wno/

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