Steinbach MLA, Kelvin Goertzen, says the acknowledgement that the Bipole III hydro transmission line has now doubled in price to $4.6 billion is a further insult to the residents of the southeast and to all Manitobans who will be forced to pay for this boondoggle for years to come.
“When the NDP forced Hydro to build this transmission line on almost the longest route imaginable, it tried to tell Manitobans it wouldn’t cost much more than if it were built on the much shorter eastern route that Hydro preferred,” said Goertzen. “The fact that they are now admitting the costs have more than doubled and will be nearly $5 billion isn’t a surprise to anyone, but it sure is an insult to all of us.”
Ever since the NDP announced they were directing Manitoba Hydro to build Bipole III on the west side of Lake Winnipeg instead of the shorter east side route, former Hydro Executives and former provincial Premier’s have indicated the 1,384 kilometre line would be a financial drain to Manitobans.
“In 2005 Hydro proposed an eastern route for Bipole III that would have cost about $1 billion but was rejected by Greg Selinger and the NDP government. The fact that the new line will end up costing nearly $5 billion means that money won’t be available to fix roads, build hospitals, build schools or pay down the debt. It really is a boondoggle that keeps getting worse and worse,” said Goertzen.
The current route of Bipole III will see it cross the northern part of Manitoba, travel south near the Saskatchewan border, come back east across the southern part of Manitoba and through the southeast.
“The line isn’t just going to have a negative impact on farmers and residents whose land is impacted, it will have a negative impact on every Manitoban now and in the future who will be paying for it. It was a decision that made no sense when it was made and it makes no sense now,” said Goertzen.
