Manitoba's Opposition promise to freeze hydroelectric rates, but offer no details
Manitoba’s Opposition New Democrats promised Tuesday to freeze electricity rates if they win next year’s provincial election but offered no details on how they might do so.
Energy rates at Crown-owned Manitoba Hydro are set by the provincial regulator, the Public Utilities Board, which the NDP has promised to keep free from political interference.
“The government can establish the conditions under which you would ensure that the PUB would return a rate freeze or better, and I very much look forward to outlining those steps to you as we get closer to the next election,” NDP Leader Wab Kinew said when asked for details.
Manitoba Hydro, under both NDP and Progressive Conservative governments, has been awarded rate increases annually. The highest in recent years was a five per cent increase under the former NDP government.
But Moody’s, an international credit rating agency, warned last spring that the rate hikes have not been high enough to keep up with rising costs. Read More...
