The Rural Municipality of Dauphin is telling residents that ditches are not garbage dumps, after a public notice posted September 3, 2026 urged people to stop throwing trash into municipal ditches.
In the notice, titled “DITCHES ARE NOT A GARBAGE DUMP,” the municipality warns that illegal dumping can cause drainage problems, damage the environment, and lead to higher maintenance costs for all ratepayers.
The warning is especially pointed for the RM of Dauphin, which is still recovering from severe overland flooding in June 2026 that dumped 115 millimetres of rain on the Parkland region, washing out roads and damaging homes and infrastructure. With the drainage system already under stress, garbage in ditches can block water flow and make future flooding worse.
Residents do have proper places to take their waste. The municipality operates the Sifton Transfer Station, and RM residents can also use the City of Dauphin Waste Disposal Site located at Road 147N (SW 20-25-19).
Manitoba generates more than 900,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste each year, and improper disposal can pollute air, soil, and water, according to the province. Dumping in ditches is a problem across rural Canada, with some municipalities reporting items such as stoves, fridges, tires, and construction materials being left on road allowances.
The RM of Dauphin says the cost of dealing with illegal dumping comes out of the pockets of all ratepayers. Residents are encouraged to use the recycling and waste disposal services available to them.
