Overworked and underpaid: Manitoba struggling to fill conservation officer roles amid poor wages, morale

A projectedexodus of conservation officers in the next few years is poised to deplete Manitoba's ranks, putting more pressure on officers whoworklonger hours butare paid significantly less than theircounterparts in other Canadian provinces.

Manitoba wants 91 conservation officers in the field, but up to 56 vacancies could emerge withinfive years through retirementsand other openings,according to an internal government report on the department's shortcomings with recruitment and retention.

"The recruitment of new Conservation officers will need to continue and succession planning will be critical," the document warns.

Thereport from late 2020, a copy of which was obtained by CBC News,illustrates the dire challenges facing conservation officers, who are charged with patrolling the vast lakes, trails and back roads of Manitoba, along with handling security at provincial parks, protecting natural resources and investigatingillegal hunting.

The report also included a survey of current and former conservation employees, many of whom voiced long-standing complaints aroundwages, benefits and housing.

"There's positions in Manitoba that aren't being filled. There's districts that don't have officers in them. There's work that's not being done," said Rob Belanger, a retiredofficer who remains in contact with his colleagues.

"There seems to be this big need for protection of our fish and wildlife resources, but no plan to fillconservation officer positions."

Starting wages more than$10K lower

The report saidas of late 2020, six of Manitoba's38 subdistricts did not have a single conservation officer.

Belangersaidrecruitment efforts are hampered by wages that pale in comparison to other jurisdictions.

The report found the starting wage in Manitoba for three different classifications of conservation officers was at least $10,000 lower than the average starting salary for those in other westernprovinces andOntario, as well as federal parks and wildlife officers.

For supervisors in the highest wage bracket,the pay ceiling in Manitoba is $19,000 lower.

A chart comparing wages for conservation officers (RO3), district supervisors (RO4) andregional field supervisors (RO5) in Manitoba with an average among federal,B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario counterparts:

The report found some districtsupervisors with more than 10 years of experience in Manitoba went to workin Saskatchewan,where they earned more at an entry-level position.

"Results from the jurisdictional wage scan indicate that wage concerns expressed in survey responses from officers [are] warranted. Manitoba ranks last in salary and hourly wages in every classification," the report stated.

Belanger says it's "kind of a no-brainer" that conservation officers moveelsewhere.

"In order to keep officers here, in order to keep the enthusiasm offilling the roles of conservation officers, you have to pay them appropriately."

Manitoba'sofficers also work longer than those in every jurisdiction surveyed, except for Ontario, the report found, with Manitoba officers' 80 biweekly hours adding up toan extra 16 to 32days a year.

Working more hours for less pay isa "major contributing factor to low morale within the service and is likely a significant contributing factor to recruitment and retention issues," the report stated.

Recruitment 'key priority': province

A governmentspokesperson said recruiting and retainingofficers "is a key priority for the department."

Five new conservation officers beganthis month, bringingthetotal to76in the field, plus 15 employeesat headquarters.

The department is also "in the midst of developing a strategic enforcement vision and plan to focus enforcement efforts on the most serious environmental, fish and wildlife infractions," the spokespersonsaid in an email to CBC.

When asked aboutpay disparities, the province said compensation is set through bargaining with theManitoba Government and General Employees' Union, which represents conservation officers. The last contract expired in 2019.

The spokesperson said work is underway to address concerns from the report, including "extensive meetings."

Specifically, the report calls for "immediate solutions," ranging from pay increases to boosting the recruitment budget. It suggests better incentives to entice officers to work in northern Manitoba, such as paid flights from isolated postings, as well as improvingemployee housingin those communities.

Survey respondents also expressed concern with the requirement for more graveyard shifts toenforce night hunting regulations a priority for the Progressive Conservative government. The decision results in fewer officers working in the daytime, which decreases public interactions and, in turn, the number of informants, the report found.

Belangerretired as a conservation officer in 2017 after more than 30 years on the job. Hesaid he developed a reputation among his colleagues as someone who spoke up for otherofficers.

"They'rethe unsung heroes," he saidof his former co-workers. "There'svery little talk about what they do in the news."

The reality that officers have had the same complaints for yearsshows the government hasn't takentheir plight seriously, regardless of the partyin power, he said.

For example, demandsfor a call centre to provide backup when officers enter armed situations have fallen on deaf ears for 20 years, Belanger said.

"It'sunfathomable to think that conservation officers are out in the field today without a call centre."

As well, Manitoba conservation officers technically fall under the Agriculture and Resource Department, which is responsible for The Wildlife Act and The Crown Lands Act, among other conservation-related legislation.

Belanger thinks they should be managed by a department with more justice experience.

The union that represents conservation officers saysit is incumbent on the Progressive Conservative governmentto address safety concerns and provide fair compensation.

These officersare"respected more and valued more" in other provinces, MGEU president Michelle Gawronsky said.

"It'sdisappointing that Manitoba has not seen fit to respect our conservation officers the same" way, she said.

She said greater support is needed, especially whileconservation officers have more responsibilities than before, which could include anything from wakingup in the middle of the night to respond to night hunting to pandemic duties like enforcing public health orders.

Manitoba struggling to fill conservation officer roles amid poor wages, morale

3 years ago

Duration 2:27

A projected exodus of conservation officers in the next few years is poised to deplete Manitoba's ranks, putting more pressure on officers who work longer hours but are paid significantly less than their counterparts in other Canadian provinces.