Manitoba eyes lifting moratorium on tundra buggy permits in new polar bear park

WINNIPEG – Manitoba is deciding whether to lift restrictions on eco-tourism as it prepares to designate a new polar bear provincial park on Hudson Bay.

The province is hiring a consultant to review the number of off-road tundra vehicles used to carry tourists around polar bear country.

It is also looking for recommendations regarding how many of the tundra buggies should be allowed to operate in the new park.

There are 18 permits right now for buggies that operate out of Churchill — a number that has been in place since the early 1990s.

Some are concerned increasing that number could attract operators who don’t know how to navigate safely around the animals.

But Jessica Elliott with Manitoba Conservation says the province just wants to ensure it is striking the right balance between eco-tourism and wildlife protection.

Manitoba has an international reputation as the polar bear capital of Canada, which is home to two-thirds of the world’s northern bears.