In March 2008, Tolko formally submitted a plan to the Manitoba Government's Environmental Licensing branch (Tolko's Dickstone South Road, file 3094.70) to cut a logging road across Grass River Provincial Park.

Although Grass River Provincial Park wasn't entirely protected from logging in 2008, much of Grass River Provincial Park has been off-limits to logging since the 1980s because it is home to herds of woodland caribou.

In May of 2008, public consultation ended on the proposed road. Of the roughly 330 people who contacted the Manitoba government through the Wilderness Committee website—the majority of the respondents according to the government license approval letter—about 300 of them were opposed to the project. Put simply, THE MAJORITY OF MANITOBANS WHO VOICED THEIR OPINION ON THIS PROJECT WERE OPPOSED TO IT.

In June 2009, the Manitoba government passed new legislation—Bill 3, the Park Logging Ban —which protected Grass River and three other parks from logging.

In August 2009, the Manitoba Government quietly approved the license application for the Dickstone Road. The government rationale for approving of this continued logging activity in Grass River Park despite the new legislation IS THAT A LOGGING ROAD IS NOT LOGGING.

The logging area that Tolko wishes to access already has road access to it. This all-weather road, which will leave a long-term footprint, is only intended as a short-term measure to lessen the time it takes to haul wood. Therefore, THIS ROAD AND BRIDGE ARE NOT REQUIRED, and definitely not in the best interests of all Manitobans, but only the out-of-town owners of Tolko.

The Dickstone South Road will traverse an area of the park that has been closed to protect woodland caribou. Woodland caribou are protected under federal and provincial endangered species legislation. For 18 months, the Wilderness Committee has been continually asking the Manitoba government for the raw data on woodland caribou populations in and around Grass River Park, so the data can be independently analyzed and Manitobans can make informed decisions about development. Despite sending over 60 letters to the government during this time, and a PERSONAL PROMISE FROM CONSERVATION MINISTER STAN STRUTHERS TO SUPPLY THE DATA, the Wilderness Committee received a letter on May 9, stating
"Manitoba Conservation is not prepared to release the raw data."
No explanation has been given as to why the data will not be released. During taping of a CBC interview about this road, the Minister was asked three times why he wouldn't release the data. After the third time, he said if we want the data we'd have to file a Freedom of Information request. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! Manitobans paid for that data, and the Conservation Minister works for the people of Manitoba. We must demand more responsible action from the people who work for us.

Please follow this link below to learn how to register your opinion with the government of Manitoba on this industrial development in a protected area of a provincial park.

It is the responsibility of every Manitoban to voice our opinion on a better Manitoba now, and for the future.