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The Manitoba government recently announced it will spend $1.2 million to support six mineral exploration projects through the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund. The press release was polished and positive. It promised job creation, partnerships with Indigenous communities, and a bright future for the province’s mining industry. But what it didn’t promise was action that would actually get minerals out of the ground.

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That’s the real problem.

Every government can spend money and issue a press release about it. What we need is a government that removes the barriers keeping our province from turning its enormous underground wealth into real opportunity. Instead of streamlining processes and cutting red tape, the Kinew government continues to focus on optics and announcements. It’s more about the appearance of progress than the reality of it.

We’re sitting on one of the most valuable untapped resources in the world. Silica sand from Manitoba’s deposits is in growing demand for everything from solar panels to high-tech manufacturing. The global market for silica is booming, yet we’re still debating how to “study opportunities” rather than creating the conditions for development.

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