Manitobans Promised Hydro Rate Freeze, More Grocery Store Competition in Throne Speech

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says his government will freeze rates at Manitoba Hydro for one year to make life more affordable.
He also pledged to eliminate “restrictive” contracts that prevent grocery stores from being built in close proximity to one another.
During the election campaign the NDP promised to freeze hydro rates for one year starting in 2025. Kinew noted the Public Utilities Board (PUB) will still have the final say, but said he was confident PUB would freeze the rates.
“Manitoba Hydro exists to save people money. The most important thing to do is to have affordable electricity rates,” Kinew told reporters. “A switch to a climate-friendly economy in the future only happens when you can afford to electrify transportation and businesses can afford to electrify their heating costs.”
“The idea behind going after restrictive covenants is to end the practice of large businesses freezing up competition from their geographic area where competition has a downward pressure on prices, and that’s what we’re trying to encourage here,” Kinew told reporters at the news conference.
A commercial development contract in any Manitoba community could include a restrictive covenant that prohibits the establishment of additional grocery stores in the area, he said.
“We want to prevent that situation from happening. We want there to be more competition. We want grocery prices to come down because of that competition.”
Kinew said that there would be an opportunity during the legislative process for residents, producers, the agriculture sector, and other stakeholders to weigh in.
Kinew’s throne speech promises follow his government’s gas tax cut extension until Dec. 31.
“We have opened 201 new fully staffed beds in Winnipeg, Selkirk, Brandon and Dauphin since April. We will open another 102 in the next year,” said the speech.