‘Help us build trade corridors’: Manitoba shifting hydro energy sent to U.S. for use in Canada

The Manitoba government said it is repatriating energy by not renewing two hydroelectric export contracts with Minnesota.

Energy that Manitoba sends to the United States will now stay north of the border, with some of it destined for a northern territory, Premier Wab Kinew announced Monday.

Kinew signed a pair of directives to Manitoba Hydro on Monday—bringing back 500 megawatts of power that is exported to the United States and taking 50 of those megawatts and sending it to Nunavut to help with the development of the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link.

“Manitoba has a wealth of Manitoba Hydro electric resources. We should use them as a province to light up the north, to light up Western Canada, and to help us build trade corridors,” said Kinew.

The premier noted the contracts for the 500 megawatts are up at the end of the month, and now that energy will stay in Manitoba and Canada.

Kinew said the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link could help bring power and telecommunications to the northern communities.

“(It’s) great for the environment because it displaces diesel generators. It’s great for Manitoba because it allows us to find a new export market for our hydroelectricity, and it’s great for Canada because it brings on board more housing, more mining, and more industrial opportunities in both Manitoba and in the northern territories.”

As for the other 450 megawatts, Kinew said it could open up other trade partners in Canada.

“We have the ability to say we in Manitoba are serious about talking with our western neighbours, with our northern neighbours, with all other jurisdictions in Canada. And not only are we serious and stepping up to talk, we’re putting action behind those words, and we’re saying we’re bringing back some of this power to our country so that we can build up the next generation of Canadian infrastructure.”

The hope with this step is to turn Manitoba into a have province and be a place that sees economic activity. Kinew said.

“That’s the future that I want for Manitoba, and if we can do that in a way that does right by the environment, that defends Canadian sovereignty, I think it’s a real winner of an approach.”