Purchase deal for south Winnipeg's Sumka Forest could save trees on riverside land: councillor

Cameron MacLean · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 26, 2025 7:52 PM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

A Winnipeg metropolis councillor says he's assured a long-running conflict to prevention a agelong of riverside wood whitethorn person reached a turning point.

Property developer Qualico has purchased the crippled of onshore successful southbound Winnipeg known arsenic the Sumka Forest.

Local quality advocacy groups similar Save Our Seine person fought for much than a decennary to sphere the Sumka lands, which includes invaluable wood situation conscionable eastbound of the Seine River and southbound of the Perimeter Highway.

St. Vital Coun. Brian Mayes has seen 2 unsuccessful efforts by the City of Winnipeg to bargain the land.

"I've been connected this contented since I archetypal got present successful 2011," Mayes said.

"I'd emotion to person seen the metropolis bargain it, but we could ne'er enactment that together. So I'm gladsome a developer, who I deliberation truly wants to prevention that forest, has purchased that package."

The spot consists of astir 25 hectares (60 acres) of erstwhile farmland southbound of the Perimeter, astir a 3rd of which is covered by forest.

Mayes said the nonaccomplishment to unafraid a woody connected the onshore has been connected his database of regrets during his clip successful office.

Under past politician Brian Bowman, Mayes pushed successful 2016 for backing to bargain the forested portion of the land, but the developer would lone see selling the full property.

In 2023, past provincial situation curate Kevin Klein supported the Manitoba Habitat Conservancy successful different effort to bargain the land, which besides went nowhere.

Although the metropolis has nary ineligible mode for the metropolis to forestall histrion clearing connected backstage land, Mayes says helium trusts the developer intends to sphere the forest.

"They've got a batch of onshore down there. They're going to person to springiness america immoderate parkland onshore eventually. Our parkland unit present person ever backed this idea, ever said we request thing successful the southeast. So it benignant of hangs together."

Mayes says the accidental to sphere Sumka is particularly important given challenges trying to prevention other forested areas, similar the adjacent Lemay Forest on the Red River.

Tochal Development Group has projected gathering a 5,000-bed assisted-living installation connected the St. Norbert property, and began cutting down trees past year.

Mayes called the combat to prevention the Sumka Forest a bequest project.

"It's thing my children and hopefully my grandchildren, if they ever exist, tin enjoy."

A typical of Qualico told CBC News a onshore improvement process volition instrumentality respective years.

Plans for the tract see housing, services and greenish space.