Kinew would not reveal details about how much progress has been made in preparing for the search, but says the province will work with families of the women and with Indigenous leaders.

The NDP government has promised to search the Prairie Green Landfill, a privately run facility north of Winnipeg, where the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran are believed to have been taken after they were killed in the spring of 2022.

An operational report, prepared by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs earlier this year, said a search could begin near the end of October if funding was in place by Feb. 1.

The report, obtained by The Canadian Press, says a lot of work has to be done beforehand to get machinery in place and obtain environmental approval to deal with asbestos and other material in the landfill.

Jeremy Skibicki has been charged with first−degree murder in the deaths of Harris, Myran and two others — Rebecca Contois, whose partial remains were found in a different landfill last year, and an unidentified woman Indigenous leaders are calling Buffalo Woman.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 15, 2024

The Canadian Press