Seal River Watershed

Seal River Watershed

A Proposal to Protect the Seal River Watershed

The Seal River Watershed Alliance, the Government of Manitoba, and Parks Canada have developed a proposal to protect the Seal River Watershed.

The proposal features a mosaic of protection including an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA), a proposed new provincial park, and a proposed new national park.  The proposal is now available for public engagement.

  • Learn more about the proposal and share your feedback at EngageMB.ca.  Comment period closes June 2, 2026.

The Seal River Watershed is one of the largest remaining ecologically intact watersheds in the world, covering approximately 50,000 square kilometres in northern Manitoba.  The pristine watershed is home to polar bears, peregrine falcons, wolves, moose, wolverines, and even grizzly bears. Where the Seal River flows into Hudson Bay, marine life such as beluga whales and harbour seals thrives.

The Seal River watershed lies within the ancestral lands of Indigenous peoples and is stewarded through the Seal River Watershed Alliance by Sayisi Dene First Nation, Northlands Denesuline First Nation, Barren Lands First Nation, and O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation.

In January of 2024, the Seal River Watershed Alliance, Parks Canada, and the Government of Manitoba signed a Memorandum of Understanding respecting an assessment of the feasibility of establishing a protected area in the Seal River Watershed. The parties completed a report that concludes that the establishment of a protected area or areas in the Seal River Watershed is feasible. 

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