Manitoba Minute: Repatriating Hydro, Nunavut Partnership, and Expropriating Lemay Forest

Manitoba Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Manitoba politics.

This Week In Manitoba:

• The last remaining railway turntable in Manitoba, located in Dauphin, is set to be dismantled this summer despite efforts to preserve it. Built in 1906, the turntable once played a key role in maintaining steam locomotives and was a rare relic of the province’s rail history. The Dauphin Rail Museum attempted to save it through petitions and community support, but ultimately lacked the ownership rights needed to stop its removal. Although the structure will be lost, parts of it will be used to create a memorial at the museum, including the motor, a section of track, and a commemorative plaque. No exact date has been announced for the removal.
  
  
• The Premiers of Manitoba and Nunavut are joining forces to advance a long-discussed hydroelectric and fibre optic project aimed at reducing reliance on diesel in northern communities. The proposed Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link would span 1,200 kilometres and cost an estimated $1.6 billion. Manitoba has committed 50 megawatts of power from its Crown energy utility, and both premiers are urging the federal government to provide further funding. They believe the current climate, including US trade uncertainty, creates an opportunity for large-scale, nation-building infrastructure. Ottawa has already contributed $2.8 million for early planning and environmental work. Construction could begin as early as 2028.
  
  
• Manitoba will host its first-ever commercial fishers summit in Selkirk on May 9th, aiming to give Lake Winnipeg fishers a direct voice in shaping the industry’s future. The summit follows earlier community forums where concerns about sustainability and management were raised. Natural Resources Minister Ian Bushie emphasized the importance of involving fishers in policy decisions rather than making top-down changes. The province’s fishery, worth around $100 million annually, is heavily reliant on species like walleye and whitefish. While no formal agenda has been released, attendees are expected to discuss regulations, market challenges, and long-term viability.

Last Week In Manitoba:

• Premier Wab Kinew met with EU ambassadors to strengthen trade ties and promote the province as a business-friendly region. The gathering marked a "foundation-setting" moment aimed at developing tangible opportunities for Manitoba job creators. Kinew highlighted the province’s shift in focus from US trade toward alternative partners amid growing trade tensions. A second Hudson Bay port, separate from Churchill, was floated as a potential route to boost exports to Europe.
  
  
• It was announced that Manitoba will not renew two hydroelectric export contracts with a US utility, reclaiming 500 megawatts of power to support local needs and economic development. Premier Wab Kinew said the Province is repatriating the contracts and emphasized the move as a step toward energy self-sufficiency and broader national leadership in energy policy. Manitoba Hydro clarified that it already planned to let the contracts expire and had accounted for the change in its financial planning. The Province still plans to maintain a trade relationship with the US while reallocating power for local projects, including a proposed transmission line to Nunavut. Manitoba Hydro is also planning major infrastructure upgrades, including a $1.4 billion thermal plant and new wind energy partnerships with Indigenous groups.
  
  
• Premier Wab Kinew has announced plans to expropriate Lemay Forest and designate it as a provincial park, aiming to halt ongoing tree-cutting and address public concerns. The forest, owned by Tochal Developments, has been the focus of protests and environmental activism since deforestation began last year. Kinew stated the move is in the public interest and hopes it will lead to negotiations and ease tensions. However, the developer’s planner expressed surprise at the announcement, noting the province had previously shown no interest in buying the land. Protesters, including members of the Save Lemay Forest coalition, have welcomed the news cautiously, stressing the cultural and ecological value of the area. The expropriation process has not officially begun, and the developer intends to continue operations in the meantime.