Manitoba Clean Environment Commission

Who We Are

The Manitoba Clean Environment Commission is an arms-length provincial government agency.

Members of the CEC Being a Commissioner

Members of Clean Environment Commission



Jonathan Scarth- Chair

Jonathan Scarth holds Bachelor of Sciences (Winnipeg), Master of Natural Resources Management (Manitoba) and Bachelor of Laws (Calgary) degrees. He was called to the Alberta Bar and as counsel represented environmental NGOs and landowners before administrative tribunals and served as a research associate at the Canadian Institute of Resources Law. On his return home to Manitoba, he held senior policy roles within the Executive Council of the Manitoba Government for 11 years over two administrations. Between stints in government, he served senior executive roles with the Delta Waterfowl Foundation for 13 years, advocating for science-based conservation policy reforms, and also taught environmental and natural resources law for 11 years as a sessional lecturer at the University of Manitoba. His past appointments include the Manitoba Committee on Sustainable Development Implementation (COSDI), the Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) of the international Commission for Environmental Cooperation, and the board of the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation.

Ian Gillies - Commissioner

Ian Gillies worked at Cargill Limited from 1984 to 2013 in several capacities including AVP of Human Resources, Integration Manager for a major acquisition, Director of Operations for the Calgary Inland Grain Terminal and as Manager of Corporate Affairs. He also served as a Senior Management Consultant at KPMG and worked for the Government of Canada as a Policy Advisor to the Federal Economic Development Coordinator in Manitoba. Mr. Gillies currently serves on several not for profit and private sector boards in Manitoba. Ian is a graduate of the Master of Natural Resource Management program at the University of Manitoba and also served as an Assistant professor at the Natural Resource Institute. Ian was born and raised in Winnipeg.

Terry Johnson - Commissioner

Terry Johnson graduated from Red River College as an electrical technologist and worked for Manitoba Hydro for over 13 years. Terry and his wife then moved back to the family farm in the Elkhorn area and farmed for over 23 years. After selling most of their farm they moved to Virden, where they now live. Mr. Johnson then worked for the Virden Credit Union for over five years while being was semi-retired. During this time he served as councilor for the RM of Archie and as Reeve and later, for the town of Virden as councilor and Deputy Mayor. Terry has had the rare privilege of serving on a number of municipal, provincial and federal boards and local community organizations. Spare time is spent travelling and part time farming.

Betty Leitch - Commissioner

Betty Leitch completed a Master of Natural Resource Management degree at the University of Manitoba and then spent five years as Executive Director of the Manitoba Water Commission. She worked in the private sector for numerous years consulting on resources and economic issues as well as working with the federal government, including the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) and Parks Canada. In addition, Betty worked on federal-provincial environmental reviews including the North Central Hydro Transmission Line and an initial Conawapa dam review. Betty was born and raised in Winnipeg and currently divides her time between Victoria BC and Winnipeg. She moved into the non-profit sector working for Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary and Volunteer Victoria in Victoria BC. Among her volunteer work Betty served several years as Executive Director of Operation Red Nose Winnipeg in its inaugural years.

Serge Scrafield - Commissioner

Mr. Scrafield retired from the Manitoba Government in 2014 after 38 years of service. For 22 of these years Mr. Scrafield served as an Assistant Deputy Minister for the former departments of Environment and Conservation and Water Stewardship. Early in his career he worked in land planning with the former departments of Municipal Affairs and Rural Development. Mr. Scrafield was most recently the Chair of the commission from 2016-2022.

Tim Sopuck - Commissioner

Tim Sopuck was born and raised in Manitoba and has spent four decades in habitat conservation and related fields. He was Chief Executive Officer of the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation from 2009 to September 2021, where he led a range of conservation programming and funding initiatives directed at the agricultural landscape. He is currently working part time for MHHC managing its Conservation and GROW Trusts granting programs. Prior to MHHC, he worked at Fort Whyte Alive and Ducks Unlimited. He currently serves on the Board of the Centre for Land Conservation, a national NGO serving the Canadian land trust community. Mr. Sopuck also has direct experience with the trapping and commercial fishing industries, having lived in a Cree-and-Metis community in northern Manitoba.

Laurie Streich - Commissioner

Laurie Streich began her career as a reporter with the Winnipeg Free Press. She joined the Manitoba government in 1981 and has served as Manager and Chief Editor for the State of Environment reporting program, Director of the Pollution Prevention Branch and Chair of the grant review committee for the Sustainable Development Innovations Fund and the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment’s (CCME) Pollution Prevention Awards Program. She was a member of the City of Winnipeg’s advisory group to improve waste management and recycling services. Laurie retired from the government in 2015.

Oleh Ilnyckyj – Commissioner

Oleh Ilnyckyj has a Masters in Industrial Relations from the University of Toronto and worked for Cargill Limited from 1978 to 2007 in environmental, health and safety and management roles at locations in Canada, Ukraine, Mexico and Romania. He then established a consulting company those services included training, compliance inspections and audits for large agricultural and insurance corporations and was an instructor at Red River College Polytechnic.

Peter Crocker - Commission Secretary / Executive Director

Peter Crocker is the Commission Secretary. Reporting to the Chairperson, the Commission Secretary is responsible for the overall operation of the Commission. Peter started with the Commission in 2023 and has been with the Provincial Government for over 18 years. Peter has extensive experience in environmental law enforcement and government administration.

Courtney Harmer - Administrative Assistant

Courtney Harmer is the Administrative Assistant to the Commission. Courtney provides administrative support to the Clean Environment Commission and is usually the first point of contact for our clients. Courtney has over 12 years of administrative experience with the Provincial Government working in a variety of different roles.