Manitoba pledges $50M to clean up orphaned and abandoned mines

The Manitoba government is promising to speed up the cleanup of some orphaned and abandoned mine sites.

The province has budgeted $50 million over the next five years to reduce environmental risks posed by the sites.

Cleanups can include removing debris, installing shaft caps and covering tailings.

“This new investment to remediate orphaned and abandoned mine sites will help reduce health risks to Manitobans and protect the environment while contributing to environmental sustainability and help build our green economy,” said Environment, Climate and Parks Minister Jeff Wharton in a statement.

A mine is considered “orphaned” if the site is no longer operational and the owner can’t rehabilitate it – either because the owner can’t be found, or is financially unable to do so.

When that becomes the case, it falls on the province to handle the cleanup.

Manitoba says its “Orphaned and Abandoned Mines Rehabilitation Program” has so far completed work at 39 high- and moderate-risk sites.