The Manitoba Clean Environment Commission (CEC) will be holding a public hearing over three days in April in Fraserwood on the Crystal Spring Hutterite colony’s proposed wastewater treatment lagoon.
The provincial department of environment and climate change recommended last September that the proposed lagoon be reviewed by the CEC after initially deciding it wasn’t necessary.
The CEC hearing is to take place in Fraserwood, about 17 kilometres west of Gimli on PR 231.
“The hearing has been scheduled to take place on April 21, 22 and 23, 2026 in Fraserwood and the Fraserwood Community Hall. Agendas for each session will be posted as they become available,” states the notice on CEC’s website. “There is an evening session scheduled for April 22 for public presentations.”
The CEC was established under the provincial Environment Act in 1988 to allow the public to participate in the decision-making process with regard to the environment.
The CEC panel will be composed of chair Aimée Craft, professor in the University of Ottawa’s faculty of law; commissioner Lydia Carpenter, who owns and operates a cattle and livestock business in Manitoba; and commissioner Donald Labossiere, former director of environmental compliance and enforcement at Manitoba conservation and water stewardship (former name of the environment and climate change department).
Individuals, groups or organizations that want to either present to the CEC panel or be a participant (presenters differ from participants) must register in advance.
Presenters are asked to register before April 15 using the “Presenter Registration Form” on the CEC’s website.
Guidelines for presenting are provided.
Presenters will be given 15 minutes to speak, but the panel chair may “reduce this time limit based on volume of registrations received to ensure that everyone who registers can speak.”
Those who wish to make a submission in writing must do so by April 7.
People wishing to be participants must also register before the hearings begin by using the “Participant Application Form” on the CEC’s website.
Participants differ from presenters in that they can ask the proponent questions, provide expert advice or being their own expert opinion.
The CEC asks participants to familiarize themselves with the hearing process guidelines. It has posted “Process Guidelines Respecting Public Hearings” on its website.
Those who wish to make a written submission by April 7 can send their letter by email: cec@cecmanitoba.ca or through the post to: Manitoba Clean Environment Commission, 305-155 Carlton St., Winnipeg, MB R3C 3H8
For more information about the Crystal Spring colony wastewater lagoon, including technical reports and letters of opposition, visit the public registry under the provincial department of environment and climate change and search for file 6193.
