Manitoba puts up to $4 million into Southwood Circle geothermal

WINNIPEG — Manitoba is committing up to $4 million for a district geothermal heating and cooling network at Southwood Circle, a mixed-use neighbourhood taking shape north of the University of Manitoba’s Fort Garry campus — the province’s first large-scale residential geothermal system.

“A whole neighbourhood can tap into geothermal, which means low-carbon heating and cooling for at least 1,000 homes in this new development at Southwood (Circle),” Premier Wab Kinew said Wednesday. “We’re going to allow you to crank up the thermostat while bringing down your power bill at the same time.”

UM Properties GP Inc., controlled by a University of Manitoba trust, is to own the system as master developer of the former Southwood Golf and Country Club lands. The build is slated to serve condo, apartment and townhouse stock plus office and commercial space, with geothermal serving as many as 1,000 new homes by 2028.

The cheque is an early marker in Manitoba’s new Net Zero Action Plan — about 90 measures over three years, backed by more than $350 million in planned provincial spending, including roughly $55 million in grants for industry, farmers, First Nations and nonprofits. Environment and Climate Change Minister Mike Moyes cast the loop as a proof of concept for district residential geothermal as Ottawa and the provinces keep chasing lower household energy bills and emissions.