Premier Wab Kinew says Manitoba is set to partner with other provinces and territories to help power infrastructure projects.
The provincial government issued a directive to Manitoba Hydro Monday to redirect some of its expiring electricity export contracts with the United States to provide power to homegrown projects here in Canada, as trade tensions continue between both countries.
Contracts worth 500 megawatts of power will be redirected by the Crown corporation to initiatives including development of the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link, a 50-megawatt project aimed at providing power and telecommunications infrastructure to northern communities in Nuvavut.
“Manitoba is a province of builders and we are stepping up to help build our nation as we weather the economic uncertainty we are all facing right now,” said Kinew.
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“There is no better time to be partnering with other Canadian provinces and territories to build the infrastructure we need for a strong domestic economy.”
Kinew said Manitoba will continue to work with its counterparts in Nunavut on the fibre-link project, while looking for opportunities to send the remaining 450 megawatts elsewhere in Canada.
The Kivalliq project, he said, could also benefit northern Manitoba communities like Churchill, as well as the province’s mining sector.
“It’s great for the environment because it displaces diesel generators,” the premier said.
“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 one of the northern territories.”
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