ManitobaManitoba has signed onto an Ontario-led proposal to expand and modernize interprovincial transmission lines and establish a nationwide energy grid to “Trump-proof” the country’s energy security.No information on when plan would launch or who else is on boardCBC News · Posted: Nov 28, 2025 3:21 PM EST | Last Updated: 11 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.The national plan would see transmission lines linking neighbouring electrical utility systems, according to the Manitoba government. (Colin Perkel/The Canadian Press)Manitoba has signed onto an Ontario-led proposal to expand and modernize interprovincial transmission lines, and establish a national energy grid to “Trump-proof” Canada’s energy security.”We’re joining Ontario in this move and we’re happy to encourage every other province in Canada, every other territory, to sign onto this partnership agreement,” Premier Wab Kinew said at a news conference Friday.The plan would help secure power grids across the country and strengthen Canada’s energy security, Kinew said.It would see transmission interconnections linking neighbouring electrical utility systems, allowing them to share and trade power, providing capacity during periods of peak demand or unexpected system stress, according to a news release from the province. Manitoba has “clean, low-carbon hydroelectricity. We can help Saskatchewan, we can help Alberta de-carbonize, we can help Ontario with their cost of living,” Kinew said, adding the network is key to “Trump-proofing our economy.”Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, left, and Mike Moyes announce partnership with Ontario at PTI Transformers in Winnipeg. (Jeff Stapleton/CBC)The premier made the announcement at Winnipeg-based PTI Transformers, a manufacturer of electrical transformers and a company Kinew said is “in a position to cash in on all of that development.””This is good news for the people who work here and it’s good news for our economy.”Under the partnership, provinces and territories can co-ordinate planning, share information and jointly engage the federal government on regulatory and funding support, the Manitoba news release states.”This is about working together — federal, provincial, territorial governments — to strengthen our resiliency,” Environment and Climate Change Minister Mike Moyes said.An electrical transformer at PTI Transformers. (Jeff Stapleton/CBC)A national network would help Canada meet climate commitments as Manitoba’s renewable energy displaces more high-emission energy, such as coal, Moyes said. However, Manitoba has said it will continue to lean on energy from oil and natural gas until cleaner sources become more abundant. More recently Kinew has said a commitment to ensure Manitoba Hydro is fully green by 2035 might not be attainable.Still, the move to a national network is an opportunity to build a legacy of climate leadership, says Brigette DePape, chair of Manitoba’s Expert Advisory Council.”We find ourselves in difficult times with the overlapping crises of affordability and climate change,” she said. “This grid helps us address these challenges simultaneously and courageously.”It also provides opportunities for partnerships with Indigenous communities and “builds unity across the country in a time of uncertainty south of the border,” Moyes said.”Demand for clean power is only going to go up, and building resilient electricity systems in the face of political and climate disruption is so very important.”Plan leaves questionsThe government calls it a big step, but the announcement has left big questions: There’s no information on when the process to link the entire country would begin, or which provinces are on board.Moyes said there are “a number of signatories to this agreement,” but didn’t name them. No other provinces have made announcements.”Some of the provinces and territories are still working through the different processes, whether that’s through cabinet or whatnot,” he said, “but there’s strong support.” “We’ll have further updates in the coming weeks. Each province is going through whether they want to release and whether they’re going to sign.”Moyes says he’s hopeful other provinces will follow Manitoba’s lead.Kinew said he is hopeful the federal government will now step up, open its chequebook and commit to ways that grow the economy “in ways that help the environment, too.”In another development on energy, Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith formally signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday for a controversial new bitumen pipeline to the British Columbia coast.
Manitoba signs onto Ontario-led proposal to create national energy grid
