The Pembina Valley Watershed District has received half-a-million dollars for projects that will ensure the health and sustainability of the watershed.

Manager Cliff Greenfield says the money comes from the GROW Trust that was established by the provincial government and is used to work with producers on their sustainability. He says this program is a game-changer for watersheds across the province because it puts real funding in place aimed at ensuring the health and sustainability of the province's watersheds for future generations.

"In the old days we would fight with the Treasury Branch every year, and you would be applying for this, that and the other thing. However, this is a program where the province has put $200 million into a trust account that is really hands-free from government. It is basically controlled by the Habitat Areas Corporation and the Winnipeg Foundation in terms of the money and groups like ours, like watershed districts, can spend the interest on that."

The province announced a total of $5.6 million for 20 new conservation projects across the province.

The money the PVWD will receive is earmarked for developing partnerships with producers to incorporate a few different farming practices, and at the same time recognizing the goods and services that producers are providing.

"When they manage their land in a certain way everybody benefits," said Greenfield.