Manitoba's newest emblem is a nod to tourism in Northern Manitoba.

On Friday, the province is proposing that polar bears are being added to Manitoba's long list of official emblems.

“Northern Manitoba is known internationally for its polar bears, tourists come from around the globe to see and learn about these majestic animals in their natural habitat in Churchill,” Premier Kelvin Goertzen says in a statement.

Goertzen says polar bear tourism is a key part of the provincial economy.

"Recognizing the polar bear as an official symbol of Manitoba would help build on our province’s brand as the ‘polar bear capital of the world’ and a must-see, one-of-a-kind tourism attraction for visitors of all ages.”

It will be designated under Bill 76, the Coat of Arms, Emblems and the Manitoba Tartan Amendment Act.

Other official emblems include:

  • North American plains bison
  • great grey owl
  • pickerel
  • white spruce
  • prairie crocus
  • big bluestem grass
  • Newdale soil
  • mosasaur