[Excerpts from July 28 Manitoba Government Press Release]
Floodway Authority CEO Ernie Gilroy announced today that the formal environmental licensing process for the expansion of the Red River Floodway is underway. For the project to proceed, it must be licensed under both the Environment Act of Manitoba and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

The Project Description will be circulated to the appropriate provincial departments and agencies for review and will be placed on the public registry, so that the public can review and comment on it. The licensing process will include environmental hearings which are expected to take place some time in 2004. While this process is occurring, detailed engineering work will continue and land will be assembled for the anticipated enhancements to the West Dike.

Funding to initiate the project was secured in April when the premier and the prime minister made a joint announcement committing $160 million to the project. The project will create 13,900 person years of work and have a total economic impact of $1.5 billion dollars.

Full Release

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