A Brief History of Peat Extraction in Canada and Manitoba
Peat extraction in Canada can be traced back to origins in Quebec and Ontario starting in the 1860s. As of the 1930s, Canada became the small scale export of peat to the United States due to shortages of European exports due to the Second World War. World War II opened the doors for the Canadian peat mining industry, molding it into what it is today. Peat has been produced in every province in which it is present including British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Manitoba and Alberta.
During the early years of Canadian peat extraction, most peat production was for fuel. The years post-World War I to the 1940s represent transitional years where producing peat for fuel was slowly shifted to producing peat for its other uses. Peat use expanded to animal bedding, horticulture, packing material and insulation. The 1950s mark the beginning of the modern peat industry by the shift largely horticultural peat.
Specifically in the province of Manitoba, 1941 marks the first commercial peat mine by Winnipeg Supply and Fuel Company in Julius Bog. In 1969, western Peat Moss Limited operated at Medika Bog in the Winnipeg region. In 1972, the Evergreen Peat and Fertilizer Limited company started peat moss production in Evergreen Bog. This bog was also located in the Winnipeg region. Premier West Peat Moss Limited started mining peat in a few areas in 1987. This included Giroux Bog, the Winnipeg Region and Caribou Bogs near the town of Hadashville. In the year 2002, Sunteera Horticuluture started peat production in Beaver Point. In 2008 Berger Moss Limited started production in a bog in Hadashville.
This brings us to June 2011 where the Save Lake Winnipeg Act was given royal assent on July 16, 2011 and passed into law. The new act puts into a motion a few different initiatives to improve the quality of Lake Winnipeg including a moratorium on giving permits or leases to peat extraction projects for two years (as of June 16, 2011). However, even with this moratorium, several peat mines project proposals have gotten the government ok to proceed. These newly granted licenses were grandfathered, meaning they were able to by-pass the new legislation due to pre-existing rights.
Some of the peat mine projects which have received grandfathered licences include:
- Berger Peat Moss Ltd’s Deer Lake Harvesting Development (Granted July 20, 2011)
- Sun Gro Horticulture Canada Ltd’s Ramsay Point Peat Mine Development (Granted June 29, 2011)
- Jiffy Canada Inc’s Peat Mining Development at Poplar Creek Bog, Haute Bog and Boggy River Bog (Granted July 18th, 2011)
One other project is currently undergoing review. This is Sun Gro Horticulture Canada Ltd’s Hay Point Peat Mine Development. Public comments were due January 16th, 2012 but were extended until February 3rd, 2012. Additionally, this proposed development takes place in the Hecla/Grindstone Provincial Park and would involve an area of 531 ha. Many argue whether this type of development is appropriate to take place in a provincial park, even if they do not have the same protective status as National Parks.
This picture displays the locations of the proposed Hay Point peat mine. It is clearly located within the boundaries of the Hecla/Grindstone Provinical Park.
As the moratorium is for 2 years, this will expire on June 16th, 2013.
Presently in Canada there is approximately 17,000 ha of peatland that is being used for peat extraction, with 5,000 ha more being developed in the next 10 years. The industry creates around 3,000 jobs, both seasonal and permanent in largely rural areas.
ENVR 4000 Sustainable Water Management 2012