Manitoba government, Crown corporation say it’s too early to talk impact of tariffs

The Manitoba authorities and officials astatine Crown-owned Manitoba Hydro would not uncover the imaginable interaction of tariffs threatened by incoming U.S. president Donald Trump astatine a legislature committee proceeding Friday.

Trump, who is to beryllium sworn successful Monday, has threatened to enforce 25 per cent tariffs connected Canadian goods if the state doesn’t curb the travel of drugs and migrants crossed the border.

NDP authorities and hydro officials were asked by members of the Opposition Progressive Conservatives what the economical interaction could beryllium and whether Manitoba mightiness retaliate by curbing hydro exports.

“We’re not going to prosecute successful hypotheticals contiguous astir what mightiness hap oregon what we’re preparing for,” Finance Minister Adrien Sala, who is liable for Manitoba Hydro, told the committee.

“At this time, without immoderate circumstantial details connected the tariff, it’s excessively soon to accidental however a imaginable argumentation alteration mightiness impact Manitoba Hydro successful immoderate way,” said Allan Danroth, the utility’s president and main enforcement officer.

Hydroelectric powerfulness is 1 of Manitoba’s biggest exports to the United States. The worth tin plaything wide from twelvemonth to year, due to the fact that of h2o levels and different factors, but authorities statistic amusement it has placed successful the apical 5 goods successful caller years on with items specified arsenic medicine and canola.

Kelvin Goertzen, a legislature subordinate with the Opposition Progressive Conservatives, said Manitoba should travel different provinces and spell retired whether retaliatory measures specified arsenic curbing exports mightiness beryllium taken if tariffs are imposed.

“Premiers specified arsenic … Quebec Premier François Legault indicated that a effect utilizing the leverage of Quebec Hydro was not disconnected the table,” Goertzen said.

Manitoba Hydro has successful immoderate years pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into the government’s coffers. But an expected nett successful the past fiscal twelvemonth turned into a $157-million loss, owed successful ample portion to debased h2o levels.

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The authorities forecast a nett astatine Hydro this fiscal year, but that besides took a downturn and the latest estimation is simply a $164-million loss.

The back-to-back losses travel astatine a clip erstwhile the authorities has promised to frost user rates for each of 2025.

A consumers conjugation has said the frost mightiness conscionable pb to a large complaint hike adjacent twelvemonth successful bid to get the utility’s finances backmost connected track.

Tory hydro professional Lauren Stone asked officials astatine the committee what benignant of complaint summation mightiness travel for 2026.

“Does a complaint frost contiguous mean a complaint daze for Manitobans tomorrow?” she said.

Hydro officials said details volition travel successful an exertion to the Public Utilities Board, the provincial regulator, sometime successful the coming months.

Danroth and Hydro committee seat Ben Graham refused to speech to reporters arsenic they near the hearing.