CLIMATE ACTION TOOLKIT FOR MANITOBA BUSINESS

Using refurbished electric bus batteries to power tundra buggies in the north. Installing solar panels to power a lakefront resort. Offering on-demand membership-based car sharing. Providing renewable energy sources and services for First Nations communities. Consolidating orders to reduce shipping and selling products made from renewable materials. Using nature-based solutions to help filter waste waters. And assessing business risks of climate change using the framework of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures.

These are all actions that Manitoba SMEs are taking now to enhance their resilience to a changing climate and to reduce carbon emissions and the overall impact of climate change.

Manitoba is now experiencing the effects of climate change along with the rest of Canada. Historical records show that every year since 1998 has been warmer than the 20th century average (Government of Canada, 2022). The University of Winnipeg’s Prairie Climate Centre projects that by the end of the 21st century, Manitoba’s summer climate could become much like that of Kansas and northern Texas, a change that “would present our children with an entirely different climate, which would necessitate a complete reworking of how we live and thrive in our environment” (Prairie Climate Centre, n.d.).

A changing climate has a real and measurable impact on Manitoba      businesses, including production losses due to extreme weather events such as droughts and flooding, and disruptive market trends such as carbon pricing and more expensive commercial insurance. However, climate change can also present new market opportunities arising from consumer preferences for low-carbon products and services. In today’s marketplace, climate action and sustainability are increasingly seen as drivers of economic competitiveness.

Partners and Funding Support

The Climate Action for Manitoba SMEs initiative is led by the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce (MCC), in collaboration with Novel Futures Corporation, the International Institute for Sustainable Development, and the Manitoba Environmental Industries Association.

Funding for the 2023 Climate Action for Manitoba SMEs initiative is provided by the Government of Manitoba’s Conservation and Climate Fund.

The original 2019 version of the Climate Action Toolkit for Manitoba Business was a collaboration between the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce and the International Institute for Sustainable Development with funding support for informational products provided by Environment and Climate Change Canada through the Climate Action Fund and in-kind support from World Trade Centre Winnipeg.