Dauphin District Office

The Dauphin District encompasses the West Central portion of Manitoba from the south boundary of Riding Mountain National Park to the community of The Pas in the north; from the west borders of the Interlakes to the east, and the Saskatchewan/Manitoba border to the west.

Agricultural production includes grains, oilseeds, forages, legumes, u-pick berries; cattle, hogs, PMU operations, bison, sheep, emu and ostrich. Non-agricultural enterprises include forestry, fishing, tourism, and some primary manufacturing.

Quick Facts about the Dauphin District:

• Population approximately 65,000
• Encompasses 26 Rural Municipalities
• Approximately 4,917 farms with an average size of 345 hectares
• PFRA Community Pastures annually accommodate approximately 16,000 cows, 10,000 calves, 1,500 horses and 500 colts.

Programs and Projects

Under Rural Water Development Program (RWDP) the Dauphin District Office provides technical assistance to individuals requiring an on-farm water source. Assistance can include: site identification, groundwater investigation, surveying, design, and water quality assessment.

The Dauphin District Office is working in partnership with The Manitoba Water Services Board to provide Rural Water Pipelines to areas where water is a major constraint to farm diversification and community development and where the population base can support such a system.

One highlight is the Sugarloaf Rural Water Pipeline in the R.M. of Grandview. Construction began in 1997 on a Water Treatment Plant and pipeline which, when completed in 1999, will service over 155 farms with pressurized, treated water. Costs for such projects are shared between the Federal Government (through PFRA) and the Province of Manitoba (through The Manitoba Water Services Board) and the local farmers.

Planning is being undertaken to provide Rural Water Pipelines in the future to the R.M. of Kelsey in The Pas; The R.M. of Gilbert Plains, the R.M. of Swan River and the R.M. of Dauphin.

Environmental Tax Credit Program:

The Northwest Soil Management Association, PFRA and Ducks Unlimited Canada are partnering in a 3 year pilot project being carried out in the Rural Municipalities of Mountain North and Strathcona in the south of the Province which will see conservation-minded landowners receive a $1.00 per acre reduction in their tax bills for some or all of their land, depending on its environmental value. The program targets farmland with greater than 40% residue cover, wetlands, tame hay or pasture, or riparian areas - trees or grass within 100 metres of a waterway. Its aim is to promote soil, water, wildlife and waterfowl habitat conservation. For more information on this project - contact our office.