On Monday, April 14th, 2025, Premier Wab Kinew announced the Province of Manitoba’s plans to expropriate the Lemay Forest and conserve it as a provincial park. Located in St. Norbert, the roughly 18-hectare property is currently owned by the Tochal Development Group, who resumed deforesting it to make way for a proposed assisted living facility. The fate of the forest has been a contentious issue with protesters blocking access to preserve what is a sensitive natural and cultural heritage area, likely containing mass graves from the Asile Ritchot Cemetery. Although the Province of Manitoba has not made any official filings to expropriate the property, Premier Kinew expressed hope that the announcement would be the first steps towards a peaceful resolution. Heritage Winnipeg is pleased to see the Province of Manitoba taking action to be a good steward of our community’s history, giving it the protection and recognition it deserves.

Conflict at the Lemay Forest was heightened in 2024 when the developer started cutting down trees on the property. The community protested the destruction of the old-growth riparian forest, which is sacred to the Indigenous people, witnessed the Red River Resistance, the location of the historic Asile Ritchot cemetery, and home to threatened pileated woodpecker nesting sites. Heritage Winnipeg, along with the Manitoba Historical Society and the Manitoba Archaeological Society, called for an immediate halt of any action in the Lemay Forest; environmental and archaeological impact assessments done by Manitoba Government officials; complete compliance with Manitoba’s heritage, cemetery, and preservation laws; and longer-term measures to be put in place to ensure the long-term protection and conservation of the forest. A private prosecution filed in January 2025 by Louise May, a member of the Coalition to Save Lemay Forest, alleged the Tochal Development Group was breaching the Manitoba Cemeteries Act, and paused the clear cutting. At the same time the Province of Manitoba was exploring ways to serve the public interest and protect the land, including purchasing the property.

The Tochal Development Group had proposed building a 2,500 unit assisted living facility on the Lemay Forest site, a plan which was rejected by Winnipeg’s City Council. While this decision is being appealed at the Manitoba Municipal Board, the developer has been explicit that the forest will be cut down regardless of the outcome. On Thursday, May 10th, 2025, it was learned that a Manitoba Crown prosecutor would not be pursuing May’s private prosecution. Consequently crews returned to the site to resume tree removal four days later, greeted by protestors. Feeling all other options had been exhausted, Premier Kinew made the surprise announcement about the planned expropriation the same day, intending to bring an end to the deforestation and ultimately see the Province of Manitoba purchase the property from the developer for market value.

UPDATE: On Wednesday, April 16th, 2025, the Manitoba Municipal Board released its ruling to uphold the City of Winnipeg’s decision to reject the Tochal Development Group’s proposed assisted-living facility in the Lemay Forest. The release noted that “In the board’s opinion, the proposed development, at nearly three times the total population of St. Norbert, is not contextually suitable for the area.” The project would have accommodated 5,000 beds while the board suggested 800 beds or less would be a better fit. Additionally, the developer has paused cutting down trees on the property until there is more clarity on the future of the Lemay Forest.