National Water Supply Expansion Program

Canada-Manitoba (CMWSEP)

Ensuring long-term access to good-quality water

Tier 1: Application Form [PDF Format | PDF Help]

Tier 2 & 3: Application Form [PDF Format | PDF Help];
Application Guide;  Frequently Asked Questions

Technical standards:
Dugout; Irrigation; Large diameter well; Small diameter well; Pipelines

Why do we need to expand our water supply?

Depending on the weather alone to provide enough water to support their farm operations is a chance few Canadian producers can afford to take. In fact, producers often have to deal with water shortages and drought situations as a result of Canada's variable climate. Therefore, reducing the risk of water shortages by securing a long-term water supply simply makes good business sense. The objectives of the National Water Supply Expansion Program The National Water Supply Expansion Program (NWSEP) is a multi-year, $60-million Canada-wide initiative that will help improve the capacity of Canada's agricultural community to address water supply concerns. The NWSEP was introduced in 2002 and during the program's first year of operation, $10 million was used to help develop high-priority water supply projects in drought-affected areas. In addition, a one-year National Scoping Study was funded through the NWSEP to determine agricultural areas of Canada experiencing or anticipating water shortages.

The Canada-Manitoba Water Supply Expansion Program

Results from the National Scoping Study are being used to help create the foundation for federal-provincial agreements under the NWSEP across Canada. In Manitoba, the agreement is the Canada-Manitoba Water Supply Expansion Program (CMWSEP). Through this initiative, Manitoba producers have access to support - both technical and financial - for the planning and development of projects that will improve their ability to develop and enhance long-term, sustainable agricultural water supplies.

Who can participate in the program?

Eligible applicants for CMWSEP assistance in Manitoba include:

• individuals and/or incorporated groups of farmers and ranchers;
• agricultural and conservation groups;
• rural communities and municipalities;
• agri-businesses and rural enterprises;
• educational institutions; and
• provincial government departments, agencies, and Crown corporations.

What kinds of projects are eligible?

The CMWSEP will support three types of projects:

Tier One - On-farm water infrastructure projects: individual on-farm water projects such as wells, dugouts, off-stream and water storage systems, and pasture pipelines. NOTE: Financial assistance will not be available for any Tier One project situated within 1.6 kms of a publicly-funded regional water supply pipeline, where the owner of the pipeline will allow the individual to access the source and where the pipeline is capable of providing the quantity and quality of water required.

Tier Two - Multi-user infrastructure projects: larger scale projects which provide water to a number of water users, such as tank-loaders and regional pipelines, and that will lead to growth in the agricultural sector.

Tier Three - Strategic work projects, which include:

• activities that enhance the understanding of operational and developmental limitations to water resources in Manitoba's rural agricultural areas; and
• projects that promote the development of information and technologies or the dissemination of information, including but not limited to regional groundwater studies, groundwater exploration or testing, regional water-management planning, water-supply planning, feasibility studies, and information-extension activities.
• In addition, projects must comply with all of the following criteria:
  • reduce the risk of future water shortages;
  • target priorities identified through the National Scoping Study;
  • be scientifically, technically, and financially feasible;
  • be environmentally acceptable;
  • enhance the potential for rural economic growth; and
  • result in a long-term water-supply solution.

What financial assistance is available?

• For Tier One - On-farm infrastructure projects, Canada will contribute up to one-third of the eligible costs, to a maximum of $5,000 per project.
• For Tier Two - Multi-user infrastructure projects, Canada will contribute up to one-third of the eligible costs.
• For Tier Three - Strategic work projects, cost-sharing arrangements may vary and will be determined and approved on a project-by-project basis. In total, the Government of Canada is providing $10.3 million for projects in Manitoba over three years. The Province of Manitoba will contribute up to $8.6 million towards Tiers Two and Three. Manitoba's funding will be provided through: the Manitoba Water Services Board's Agricultural Area Water Pipeline Program and Community Water Source Development Program; and Manitoba Agriculture and Food's Irrigation Development Program.

What is the application deadline?

The CMWSEP ends on March 31, 2008. The deadline to submit applications for Tier One - On-farm infrastructure projects is April 1, 2005. There is no application deadline for Tier Two and Three applications.

How to apply

To apply for assistance under the CMWSEP, complete the Application for Assistance form and send it to any designated CMWSEP location (please see following section for information on where to submit Tier One and Tier Two and Three applications). In addition to providing information such as name, address and relevant contact telephone numbers, applicants must also provide initial project information such as location, description, estimated start and completion dates, estimated project costs, and sources of funding.

For copies of the form, please contact or visit the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada - Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) Office nearest you. The form is also available on the NWSEP Web site at: http://www.agr.gc.ca/h2o/

Where to send your application

Completed application forms for Tier One - On-farm infrastructure projects only can be submitted to: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 408 - 1800 Hamilton Street, Regina, Manitoba, S4P 4L2.

Completed application forms for Tier Two and Three projects only can be submitted to: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 200 - 303 Main Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C 3G7.

Reviewing your application

An CMWSEP committee consisting of federal and provincial representatives will assess all proposals based on the quality of each project plan, the degree to which project plans are incremental or complementary to other existing federal programs, and the degree to which projects provide broad-based public or environmental benefits.

All applications will be screened, reviewed and rated to ensure program funds are directed to those projects which best meet CMWSEP objectives and priorities.

Before approving a proposal, the CMWSEP committee will ensure that the proposed project addresses and enforces all technical and environmental standards for water-development projects.

Note: You must receive written approval for your project prior to beginning the proposed work. Any projects started before receipt of written approval are not eligible for funding.

Once a project is approved for financial assistance, the applicant will receive a letter specifying the amount of assistance they are eligible to receive, as well as a deadline for which to complete the project. If you do not complete the project by the deadline, you may not receive any financial assistance. For program and application information, please contact 1-800-667-8567, or visit the Web site.