Steinbach MLA, Kelvin Goertzen, says a number of Hanover residents have received letters from Manitoba Hydro indicating that the proposed Bi-Pole III hydro transmission line may be running through the municipality.
The actual route for the line is expected to be announced as early as this week.
“Several Hanover residents who live along Highway #52 west of Mitchell have received letters indicating that the bi-pole transmission line may be located nearby. That is causing concern not simply because people don’t want it in their back yard, but they recognize that the line is going down the wrong side of the province all together,” said Goertzen.
Goertzen says that there is widespread opposition to the new transmission line coming from the north-east down the west side of the province instead of the east side which is the preferred route by Manitoba Hydro. The NDP government overruled Hydro and directed them to put the line on the west side of the province.
“Virtually all the stakeholders agree that the east side route is preferred because it is shorter, cheaper and more environmentally friendly than the west side route,” said Goertzen.
Goertzen noted that landowners in Hanover who may be impacted by the line are not simply expressing a “not-in-my-backyard” frustration, but rather a frustration that the decision to run the line down the west side of the province is a bad decision for the long-term interests of Manitobans.
“If there was a reasonable explanation as to why the line should be coming down the west side and possibly through Hanover the reaction might be different. But that reasonable explanation doesn’t exist. It’s just a bad decision by the NDP government and one that we will reverse if we form government after the next election,” said Goertzen.
Goertzen noted that before construction on the line can begin there has to be negotiations with landowners and environmental reviews of the project.
