The Manitoba NDP Now Believes it Can Take Your Property.

Kinew Targets Private Property to Appease Protestors, Not Solve Problems

The Manitoba government is preparing to expropriate privately owned land known by some as "Lemay Forest," a name that suggests it’s protected wilderness. It’s not. It’s private property—legally owned, with development permits in hand—yet the Premier now wants to seize it to turn it into a provincial park.

Premier Wab Kinew made the announcement casually during a Manitoba Hydro press event, as if expropriation were a routine government service like road repairs. “I want the chainsaws to stop,” he said. Just like that. No consultation with the owner. No legal filings. No transparency about cost or process.

This isn’t policymaking. It’s political theatre.

The land belongs to Tochal Developments. Their representative, planner John Wintrup, said he only learned about the government’s intention through the media. No call. No email. No formal notice. Just a public ambush. And let’s be clear: the land has been zoned and approved for housing development—thousands of much-needed homes that could have relieved pressure in a province where affordability and supply are regular headlines.

So here’s the contradiction: the Premier says we have a housing crisis, but when someone steps up to build housing, he turns around and shuts it down. With no real plan for what comes next.

Let’s talk about what this really is.

This is the state grabbing private land because a vocal group of activists decided they didn’t like what was being done on it. These protestors started blocking access to the site in January—even after a court injunction confirmed the developer had the legal right to proceed. Police had to arrest at least one individual on April 14 after tensions escalated again.

The Premier is setting a precedent: if you yell loud enough, disrupt the rule of law, and ignore court orders, you’ll get what you want. Unless what you want is lower taxes, better healthcare, or safer streets—then you’ll have to wait for another round of listening tours.

Let’s be reasonable for a minute.

If I put a sign on my front lawn that says “Kevin Forest,” would the government step in and maintain it? Would they reduce my taxes? Would protestors be allowed to block the sidewalk and call it an environmental sanctuary?

Of course not.

Yet somehow, the government and even parts of the media have adopted this manufactured label—Lemay Forest—as if it’s official policy. The land isn’t a forest. It’s private land, zoned for residential development in a growing city.

This is a troubling shift toward ideology over common sense. The government is making policy on the fly, driven by social media outrage and pressure from a few loud voices. No cost estimate has been provided. No plan for ongoing maintenance. Will the province fence it off like other parks and charge an entry fee? Will the same neighbours cheering now be happy when they can’t walk their dogs freely anymore?

Or will we see more of the same: a half-baked government promise that fades into red tape and deficits?

And let’s talk about the money—because this province doesn’t have any to spare.

Kinew has already increased government spending significantly since taking office. In March, the NDP tabled a budget with a $796 million deficit. The province is also taking on $2.7 billion in new debt. Despite this, Kinew continues handing out money to interest groups, pushing expensive programs, and now, adding a land buyout to the tab—all while saying it's in the name of affordability and equity.

But what about fairness?

There are investors across the country watching this unfold. Business leaders who see the province nullifying private development, ignoring court rulings, and rewarding civil disobedience. What kind of message does that send?

It says Manitoba is a bad bet.

It says politics matters more than property rights. That’s not just bad for business. That’s dangerous for democracy. If the government can take your land based on public pressure and rebrand it for political points, where does it stop?

It won’t stop here. The ripple effect is already real. Why would any developer risk building in Winnipeg when government intervention can scrap a project overnight? We’ve seen what happens when politics overrides planning—it creates housing shortages, cost overruns, and broken public trust.

Ironically, Tochal Developments was offering part of the land to the city years ago for park space, but the offer went nowhere. That’s right—this could have been settled long ago through cooperation, not coercion.

But now, it’s about image. Kinew gets a video clip and applause from activists. The taxpayers get the bill. And Manitoba loses another opportunity to grow responsibly.

This is about more than one piece of land. It’s about whether Manitoba is open for business, or only open to whatever social cause happens to trend that week.

We need a province where private property is respected, not expropriated at the first sign of protest. We need policies based on law and economics—not politics and hashtags. And we need to stop pretending that government can be all things to all people without consequences.

Today it’s a private development project.

Tomorrow it could be your land.