With the latest announcement from the Province to invest a historic $220-million, multi-year investment towards Manitoba's park's infrastructure, Manitobans can look forward to more ways to enjoy the outdoors.

Natural Resources and Northern Development Minister Greg Nesbitt and Transportation Minister Doyle Piwniuk shared the news last week that funds are being allocated to roadways leading into parks and camping facilities within those parks.

As part of the Manitoba Provincial Parks Infrastructure Renewal Strategy, campers will see a 50 per cent increase in yurts, more campsites with electrical service, enhanced interactive experiences along with improved services, and access to nature in each of the 20 busiest provincial parks. This modern strategy will provide Manitobans and tourists an unforgettable parks experience for generations to come, Nesbitt said.

"We looked at where the demand is, where we could get the best 'bang for our buck' and we're spending accordingly," he adds.  "We 're responding to the Travel Manitoba document that came out last year indicating what the public wanted and we're attempting to do that over the next 10 years."

Spruce Wood Provincial Park is one of the larger projects on the radar, with highway surface upgrades to PTH 5 from PTH 2 to 15 km north of PTH 2.  As well a new campground bay will be developed and group use campsites will be upgraded with electrification to meet the demand; all this coming to over $51 million over the next 10 years.

Additional Provincial Parks included in this recent announcement include:

  • Whiteshell Provincial Park: replacement of the Nutimik Museum, reconstruction of the West Hawk Lake seawall, Mantario Trail amenity upgrades, surface upgrades to the Trans-Canada Highway at the Manitoba-Ontario border, and structure rehabilitation on the Trans-Canada Highway at Provincial Road (PR) 301 Falcon Lake Access, PR 301 Overpass Falcon Lake Road, and Provincial Trunk Highway (PTH) 44 at West Hawk Lake;
  • Birds Hill Provincial Park: Fox Bay campsite upgrades, Lakeview Trail upgrades;
  • Hecla/Grindstone Provincial Park: Gull Harbour campsite electrification, minor structure rehabilitation on PTH 8 at the Hecla causeway;
  • Asessippi Provincial Park: new yurt village, upgrades to PR 482 leading to park entrance; 
  • Bakers Narrows Provincial Park: new energy and water-efficient washroom and shower building at campground;
  • Duck Mountain Provincial Park: yurt expansion at Childs Lake, culvert replacement on PR 367 at Garland Creek;
  • Grand Beach Provincial Park: East Beach washroom replacement; and
  • Paint Lake Provincial Park: campground washroom building replacement, wastewater lagoon assessment and upgrade, surface upgrades to PR 375 from PTH 6.

Please listen to more with Minister Greg Nesbitt and CJRB's Barry Lamb below: