Federal Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, Gary Anandasangaree, clarified that the federal government will allocate $740,000 to continue assessing the feasibility of searching the landfill in the Winnipeg area for the remains of two First Nations women.

He pointed out that more research is needed to determine how to conduct the search, after a federally funded preliminary feasibility study found that the search is possible but hazardous materials could pose a risk to workers.

Appointed Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew promised that his New Democratic Party government would inspect the landfill if elected, and Anandasangaree says the federal government aims to work with the province on the next steps.

Anandasangaree confirmed that the funding will help governments obtain all the information they need before sitting down together to make a decision about the search itself, but he would not commit to covering the estimated cost of $184 million for the search.

He said that the work is expected to be completed within the next ninety days, adding that Ottawa "will remain in this position for the long term."

The remains of Morgan Harris and Mercedes Miaran are suspected to be in the Prairie Green Landfill, a private facility north of Winnipeg.

Jeremy Skibicki has been charged with first-degree murder in the killings of Harris, Miaran, and two others – Rebecca Contois, whose partial remains were found in a different landfill last year, and an unidentified woman referred to by Indigenous leaders as Mashkodpegikwe or Buffalo Woman.