Judge to rule on landfill blockade injunction after negotiations between City of Winnipeg, protesters fail

Posted on July 14, 2023 by Peggy

A judge is expected to rule Friday afternoon on the City of Winnipeg’s application for an injunction to remove a blockade at the main entrance to the city-owned Brady Road landfill, after the city and protesters failed to reach a compromise.

On Thursday, Justice Sheldon Lanchbery asked both parties to negotiate on whether protesters would be allowed to stay on site, and adjourned the matter to Friday.

However, lawyers for the city and the group of protesters told the court Friday that the parties have been unable to reach an agreement.

Lanchbery told the court on Friday morning the injunction must be dealt with.

“What this boils down to is no one in this province is allowed to block a highway,” he said.

“This is a public roadway.”

The hearing was adjourned to 12:30 p.m. A lawyer for the protesters told CBC News he expects a decision on the injunction application Friday afternoon.

The blockade was set up last week in response to the Manitoba government’s decision not to fund a search of the Prairie Green landfill, north of Winnipeg, where the remains of two First Nations women who police say were homicide victims — Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran — are believed to be.

The City of Winnipeg applied for the injunction on Tuesday, arguing it was needed to address concerns about environmental, safety and financial risks that could cause “irreparable harm” to the city if the blockade continues.

More to come