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Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Letters, July 21
Opinion Energy plans Upon seeing the $7-billion price tag for upgrading the hydro system, my first thought was: how much dispersed hydro generation could that buy? And wouldn't that be safer than having so many of our energy eggs in one vulnerable basket? This reminds me of a few years ago when one of the Hydro honchos essentially told us they were in the hydro power business, not the wind and solar power business. My thought then was that a more responsible stance would be to consider themselves to be in the electric energy business — for Manitoba — whatever the source. Indeed, new power technology options are being developed every day. Our myopic reliance on giant hydro plants and long, long transmission corridors might very well become non-primary technology. And the most vulnerable option for our province. I may be missing something in all this, but I am not confident that Hydro has embraced a power generation worldview that isn't literally water/hydro powered. And I still wonder what's their vision on power generation beyond that? And as a Crown corporation, what's their sense of their role and responsibility in all this? Dan O'Dell Winnipeg The detailed analysis in the Free Press confirms what many Manitobans have long suspected but few in government have had the courage to address: Manitoba Hydro is teetering on the edge of a financial precipice. The staggering $20-billion debt load, combined with poor governance, lack of strategic vision, and politically manipulated rates, has created a dangerous imbalance — one that now threatens the financial health of both the utility and the province itself. Projects like Keeyask and Bipole III have ballooned in cost and delivered questionable value. Meanwhile, repeated political interference — from rate suppression to board turnover — has left Hydro rudderless, unable to make sound long-term decisions or invest wisely in future infrastructure. Let's not be misled: low rates have neither attracted major employers nor benefited taxpayers in the long run. In fact, they have effectively masked inefficiencies and delayed a necessary shift toward demand management, conservation, and green energy innovation. The result? Nearly $1 billion in annual interest payments and mounting risk of a credit downgrade. It is time to stop treating Hydro as a political tool and start governing it like the complex, high-stakes utility it is. That means restoring board independence, grounding rate decisions in economic reality, and holding Hydro leadership accountable for productivity and fiscal discipline. Manitobans deserve transparency, not talking points. Yog Rahi Gupta Winnipeg Blending faith and science Re: 100 years later, the Scopes 'Monkey Trial' still resonates (Think Tank, July 17) It is true, as Allan Levine argues, that the supposed conflict between science and the Bible still resonates today. One reason for this is that in our polarized world we tend to view reality through one lens only while excluding other explanations. This too often puts science on the scrimmage line against a particular understanding of the Bible. But science and the Bible, properly understood, are not opposing explanations; they complement one another. Science can be understood as a kind of map with its own way of describing reality. But a map of Canada does not exhaust our understanding of Canada. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights argues that all persons are created with equal dignity and rights. Science can help us understand this conviction, but we need something beyond the maps of science to more fully grasp it. And we need an understanding of the Bible other than creationism in order to engage science with integrity. Yes, this issue does have to do with life's meaning. Ray Harris Winnipeg Talk elsewhere Re: 'Hold your conversation' (Letters, July 15) Bravo to letter writer Ken McLean for voicing the concern that many of us have at live performances and in particular at the Winnipeg Folk Festival. If you must have a conversation, please take it away from the seating area where other people are trying to listen to the performance. Don't just raise your voice so that your friend can hear you above the performer. And, if someone asks you to take your chat elsewhere, please don't look at them as if you're the one who's being inconvenienced. Don Sourisseau Winnipeg Water bill too high We are all enjoying the wonderful summer so far, being at the lake, travelling or at home. If you are living in a house particularly in Winnipeg, please look at your recent water bill statement from the water and waste department. You might be surprised that an unexpected high water bill arrived to be paid within a period of time. Wow! Why am I paying such a high amount for water for a three-month period, I ask myself. What's with this statement? Is the amount due, correct? Is there a possibility of a calculated error? I called the water department recently. Their reply to my question: the city is building a new treatment plant, therefore we need revenue to complete the project. As I see it, to compensate for any losses in construction of this endeavour, Winnipeggers will cover the deficit. From December of 2024 to June of 2025, my water bill has increased by 15 per cent. Why such an increase? If you look at your water bill, the sewer cost ratio is probably almost twice in comparison to the water usage. Did your area have any sewer upgrades? If it did, then the increase justifies the water bill amount. My area hasn't had any sewer work done to substantiate an increase in fees. As Winnipeggers, we are being bombarded this year with a property tax increase, garbage collection increase and a water bill increase, 'three strikes' and many people are out financially. This is unreasonable and unsustainable. Grocery prices are skyrocketing, inflation is growing and imposed tariffs have a negative impact on our economy. Tremendous strain on the citizens of Winnipeg. What is next to swallow? My recommendation to the city, to alleviate the burden of paying the high water bills, is to introduce the same format that Manitoba Hydro operates on, pay monthly not quarterly. People would be able to budget and manage their financial monthly household expense, not get burdened with astronomical water bills. Peter John Manastyrsky Winnipeg Well wishes for columnist Re: Finally at a loss for an opinion (Think Tank, July 12) I am certain I join many readers of these pages in saying a heartfelt 'thank you' to professor Paul Thomas for the huge contribution his thoughtful columns have brought to the public issues of our times. His was always an informative and well-researched voice. I wish him well. Paul Moist Winnipeg
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
The true cost of hydroelectric power
Opinion The July 15 Free Press article about the proposed Manitoba Hydro rate hikes of 3.5 per cent per year for the next 15 years (Hydro embarks on $7-billion overhaul of two main transmission lines) describes the need to increase rates in order to reliably serve customers and businesses. This news story focused on the equipment and infrastructure upgrades needed in the next couple decades, but there are factors besides the rates customers pay monthly that we also need to consider when we talk about Manitoba Hydro. Hydroelectric power is touted as a 'green' renewable energy resource. This assertion fails to take into account the huge environmental impact of harnessing the energy of water. The infrastructure required to generate electricity in this way involves destruction and irreversible damage to our environment. It's time to evolve and expand our conversations about energy because, like so many things in our climate-changed world, there are no simple or easy solutions. Our treaties promised Indigenous communities the ability to maintain their way of life. The destruction and devastation colonialism has inflicted upon Indigenous people is too great to list here in the level of detail that might do justice to the topic. But, here are a few well-documented examples related to Manitoba Hydro development specifically: South Indian Lake experienced the destruction of their successful commercial fishery due to flooding and the erosion of the land. Land erosion is still happening here and elsewhere in the province due to the altered waterways. This erosion carries a steady stream of mercury into Manitoba's waters. The Churchill River Diversion had a significant impact affecting hunting, fishing, trapping and sacred sites for the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation. At Cross Lake, water levels change unpredictably, resulting in dangerous ice conditions for community members including fatalities at Pimicikamak Cree Nation. The water freezes but then drops lower due to Manitoba Hydro operations, creating thin ice with a hollow drop below that an ATV or snowmobile might fall through. Flooding at Grand Rapids in the 1960s resulted in the permanent displacement of entire communities, such as the relocation of the Chemawawin Cree Nation to Easterville. There are, in fact, no longer rapids at Grand Rapids due to this flood which was caused by the construction of the dam. These are just a few of the consequences that have affected communities and individuals in hydro-affected regions. It has also been documented that social problems including sexual assaults go up when hydro construction projects enter a region. Manitoba Hydro's footprint has left deep, lasting scars across northern and Indigenous communities. Ongoing effects include land erosion that contributes to surprisingly high carbon emissions. Additionally, the mercury entering the water from erosion may return to lower levels after three or four decades, but bio-accumulation in fish can remain at dangerously high levels for much longer than that. If we plan to continue on this path for our energy needs we must mitigate these risks and compensate those who can no longer live safely and peacefully in their communities because of Manitoba Hydro. The relationships between Manitoba Hydro, affected communities, and the beneficiaries (consumers) of the utility's assets needs to continually improve. Manitoba Hydro now has policies, procedures, and agreements in place to try to mitigate environmental risks and consult with communities affected by hydro development. We need more of this, and we need relations beyond legal obligations. Still, many effects can never be reversed. If we don't appreciate the real cost of the resources we are using now, we are only pushing bigger problems down to future generations. Rate hikes have varied over the years and a 3.5 per cent increase is not unprecedented, but should this level of increase continue for 15 straight years, that will be a steep climb that will impact household budgets at a time when many of us are already feeling the squeeze of inflation across household expenses. Even with the proposed increases we will likely maintain lower rates than our neighbours in other provinces. Manitoba Hydro also exports electricity outside of Manitoba. Premier Wab Kinew recently redirected 500 megawatts of electricity from the U.S. to Canadian markets by letting two U.S. contracts expire. Still, Manitoba Hydro will sell around 20-30 per cent of their output to the United States. Prices fluctuate with the market but, when possible, Manitoba Hydro should sell this resource at top dollar. I don't think any of us want to be subsidizing the energy use of our neighbours south of the border. We benefit from Manitoba Hydro. As with so many facets of having settled here, we need to reflect on these benefits so we can find ways to live ethically and responsibly. This includes holding ourselves and our institutions accountable to promises made in treaty. Manitoba Hydro is already known throughout the energy world for its innovation in transporting electricity long distances. With the right decisions we could also become known for innovation in sustainable development and Indigenous relations. I would pay more to support good work we can be proud of. Emilie St-Hilaire is a settler in Winnipeg.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Time to pay the piper for Hydro's old, ignored infrastructure
Opinion Manitoba Hydro's decision to spend an estimated $7 billion to upgrade the Bipole I and II transmission lines may be a necessary investment, but let's be clear: it's just the tip of the iceberg. The Crown utility has been falling behind on asset upgrades for decades which has allowed a critical backlog of aging infrastructure to pile up. It's not a new problem, and it's not limited to the Bipoles. Hydro's own 2022 asset management report says the corporation faces a mountain of long-overdue upgrades in nearly every part of its system — from substations to transformers, aging wooden poles to buried cables, and even dams. Some of the infrastructure is decades past its best-before date. The longer it gets put off, the more expensive the fixes become. JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS FILES Manitoba Hydro must be transparent with the public about the full scope of its infrastructure backlog, writes Brodbeck. About 27 per cent of Hydro's generator assets exceed the economic life cycle of 60 years 'where there is an increased risk of a prolonged outage should a failure occur,' the report says. Another 23 per cent fall within the 40- to 60-year range 'where planning of unit overhauls should be initiated,' it says. 'Manitoba Hydro is projecting that many of its asset populations will require significant intervention today, and increasing in the near future, in order to avoid accelerated system performance degradation and diminished supply,' the report says. 'Manitoba Hydro can anticipate a large number of generator assets approaching economic end-of-life prior to intervention, if the current intervention pace is not significantly accelerated.' If you're shocked by the $7-billion price tag for Bipole I and II, wait until you see the full bill coming due for the rest of Hydro's neglected infrastructure. We're not just talking hundreds of millions here — we're talking billions more. Hydro's asset management report pulls no punches. The utility admits it has not replaced aging assets fast enough to keep pace with their deterioration. Take wooden distribution poles, for example — thousands across the province are well past their expected life span; some are approaching 60 or even 70 years in service. Hydro estimates that a significant portion of its assets are in 'poor' or 'very poor' condition. And no, that doesn't mean they'll all fall apart tomorrow. It does mean they're more prone to failure, harder to repair, and more expensive to replace in emergency situations. That's a dangerous place for a power utility to be. Manitobans shouldn't be too shocked, though. The 2022 report was not the first to shine a light on Hydro's failure to keep up with infrastructure upgrades. Countless reports have detailed how far behind Hydro has fallen in infrastructure upgrades. So how did it get this bad? Part of the problem is systemic. Like many large public utilities, Hydro has struggled with balancing long-term maintenance needs against short-term financial pressures. For years, the Crown corporation kept rates artificially low by putting off major maintenance in favour of keeping electricity affordable. That may have worked politically — who doesn't love cheap power? — but it came at the expense of sustainability. Then there's the legacy of major capital projects, such as Bipole III and the Keeyask Generating Station, which drained billions from Hydro's borrowing capacity and diverted attention and resources away from basic asset renewal. By the time Keeyask was completed — years late and billions over budget — Hydro was facing serious debt challenges. Meanwhile, the quiet deterioration of the system continued. Now, the chickens are coming home to roost. But identifying the problem is only half the battle. Fixing it is going to require sustained investment and political will. Unfortunately, the current political climate doesn't bode well for that. Premier Wab Kinew's NDP government is under pressure to keep electricity rates low and deliver on promises to freeze hydro bills for at least a year. Tuesdays A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world. That's the bind the province is in: everyone agrees Hydro needs to fix its aging infrastructure, but no one wants to pay for it. Delaying it further will only compound the problem. What's needed now is honesty. Manitoba Hydro must be transparent with the public about the full scope of its infrastructure backlog. How many substations are past due for replacement? How many kilometres of transmission lines are vulnerable to weather events? What's the real price tag to get the system back into good shape? Manitobans deserve to know. Likewise, the provincial government must stop pretending that rate freezes and deferred maintenance are a long-term strategy. They're not. The cost of rebuilding Hydro's system is going to be substantial — and there's no getting around it. Whether it's through modest rate increases, government support, or some combination of both, someone is going to have to foot the bill. Bipole I and II are just the beginning. If Manitoba wants to keep the lights on — and its economy humming — it needs to stop kicking the can down the road. The time to invest in Hydro's aging infrastructure is now, before the problems get worse and the cost skyrockets. Tom BrodbeckColumnist Tom Brodbeck is a columnist with the Free Press and has over 30 years experience in print media. He joined the Free Press in 2019. Born and raised in Montreal, Tom graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and commerce. Read more about Tom. Tom provides commentary and analysis on political and related issues at the municipal, provincial and federal level. His columns are built on research and coverage of local events. The Free Press's editing team reviews Tom's columns before they are posted online or published in print – part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Manitoba Hydro plus growing debt: a bad equation
Opinion Manitoba Hydro's PUB filing raises new questions about the utility's financial sustainability with big implications for ratepayers and taxpayers. Hydro's forecast calls for annual rate hikes of 3.5 per cent, or a 40 per cent increase over the next 10 years. Even if these rates happen and there is no guarantee, given the current government's populist predilection towards pawning the 'crown jewel' of the province for immediate political cash, Hydro will not generate enough funds to support its business. Instead, to pay for refurbishment projects and for a small amount of new capacity, Hydro will try to increase its debt load by a further $8.6 billion. And this is a best-case scenario, given the likely occurrence of one more low-water level year (four of the past five), interest spikes, export price drops or the high probability of major projects exceeding budget. WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ILLUSTRATION Is Manitoba Hydro coming to the end of the financial line? Hydo acknowledges its precarious starting position stating 'there is no room left to allow material increases to the debt ratio while maintaining the financial health of the utility.' Only one other Crown utility could say this, Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, before it received a more than $5-billion bailout from the federal government in 2021. It is also an understatement. At nearly $1 billion, Hydro's yearly interest payments now consume 35 cents of every dollar on your Hydro bill, far in excess of the average of seven cents across other North American utilities, private or Crown-owned. How did this happen? Foremost is Hydro's record of grossly inefficient capital spending. Over a 20-year span beginning in 2014, Hydro's debt-financed asset base will increase by 250 per cent, or nearly $20 billion, but will produce only 20 per cent more energy capacity. The Keeyask generating station and Bipole III — the latter which was primarily needed for transmission capacity but misleadingly justified on the basis of risk mitigation — are the main reasons. They created $12 billion in new debt but not enough new revenue to even cover the interest payments while starving Hydro of the scarce capital and people that should have been invested in rebuilding end-of -life core infrastructure. A planned 600 megawatts of private wind generation is excluded because even though it will create a sizable, debt-like expense, it is an intermittent energy source with minimal 'always on' contribution to our peak winter energy. And at the end of this period Hydro will still have significant, aged infrastructure. Second is Manitoba's poor performance managing energy demand to reduce the size and to extend the need date of expensive, new energy. The goal under Hydro's old Power Smart program was to reduce domestic peak load by 1,100 megawatts before 2028. In today's dollars, achieving half this target puts Manitoba in line with efficiency measures in other jurisdictions and is worth a $7-billion hydro generating station. Inexcusably, no measurable progress on peak load was made by Hydro. When Efficiency Manitoba took over in 2020, it ignored energy capacity altogether in favour of overall savings, whether or not achieved during times of the year or day when there is abundant or scarce capacity, and which have also fallen short of target every year. Last but not least are Hydro's burgeoning administration costs. Over the five years since 2022 wages and salaries will have grown by over 30 per cent, far outstripping revenue increases. This is due to contract settlements and wage bracket inflation of 3.5 to five per cent per year and hundreds of added employees, including 200 hires to satisfy a recent agreement with the IEBW. With almost 1,000 employees or nearly 20 per cent of its workforce, now earning over $150,000 per year, Hydro can be viewed as an important employer of highly skilled individuals in our province but fairly criticized for being untethered to effective productivity measures to assess the value of these positions. The consequences to Manitobans are real. In late 2022, the prior government reduced fees paid by Hydro to the province by $190 million per year on the basis of being excessive compared to other jurisdictions. The current government has gone further, cutting Hydro's capital taxes and debt guarantee fees worth more than $250 million annually. This is not justified on any basis, other than as an outright subsidy from Manitoba taxpayers to Hydro ratepayers at a cost of $5 billion over the next 20 years. Hydro's high and rising debt, large financial support from the province, low revenues due to politically suppressed rates, lack of board independence from government and massive downside risk tied to water levels will attract the attention of others, notably debt rating agencies like Moody's and DBRS and the provinces of B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan whose taxpayers contribute billions into equalization payments made to Manitoba each year. In its PUB filing, Hydro highlights the risk of no longer being viewed as a self-supporting entity by DBRS. On their criteria noted above, it seems clear Hydro already fails the test or is on the razor's edge of doing so. If this happens Hydro, will be considered dependent and its obligations will be added to the province's, doubling our per capita debt overnight, leading to a credit downgrade and higher interest costs for the province and Hydro, potentially in hundreds of millions of dollars. On the equalization front, the case for adjusting Manitoba's own source revenue upward and payments from Ottawa downward will be much more convincingly made by the Western provinces based on Manitoba's near elimination of normal fee revenues from Hydro and its insistence on keeping Hydro rates below required levels. The math alone, shocking as it may to Manitobans who believed the low-cost energy narrative of every government for the past 20 years, shows that 3.5 per cent annual increases are insufficient. Rates will have to go up more and they should be paid for by those who consume the most energy and who can afford it, for example larger residences, larger businesses and major industrial users. This is done in other jurisdictions to varying degrees and needs to start yesterday in Manitoba — likewise, demand management and usage incentives that will curtail our peak power use. Higher rates will not cause any large employer to leave the province just as lower rates have not attracted a single large employer, despite the hype and promise, over the past 40 years. Higher rates will, finally, begin to price our energy for what it is, a scarce resource that must be conserved through efficiency and green energy initiatives that haven't been cost justified because of our low power bills. Early in my short tenure as chair of Manitoba Hydro, I connected with board members of other Crown and state-owned utilities looking for advice and a sanity check on the upside-down governance practices I encountered. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. While I was not left reassured things would get better, I was guided by the perspective of a former CEO of the Tennessee Valley Authority, the largest government-owned utility in the U.S. Before our first conversation, he had read The Manitoba Hydro Act and said I should do the same to get grounded on Hydro's core purpose, which was to provide for the continuance of a supply of power to Manitobans in an economic and efficient manner. When one considers the fiscal mess Hydro faces today it is not hard to imagine how much could have been avoided if mandate letters from past successive governments had adhered to the Hydro Act and the inherent priorities of financial sustainability, operational excellence and effective capital deployment. The current PUB filing emphatically tells us there is no time or money left for more political adventures or overreach. It should be a clarion call for governance reform starting with a professional, highly competent and independent board, rather than well-intentioned, partisan individuals with limited authority and financial expertise and zero experience overseeing a complex, multibillion-dollar utility. Of all the seemingly intractable policy areas facing our provincial government, this single change is surely one of the most achievable and with the most potential to mitigate against the heightened risk of a financial calamity. Edward Kennedy is a former chairman of the board of Manitoba Hydro.
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Persistent theft of copper wire demands crackdown on scrap metal dealers: Tory
There are calls for a clampdown on scrap metal dealers who buy stolen copper wire, which puts thieves at risk of being electrocuted at Manitoba Hydro facilities and results in 'wire fires' that release toxic material. Recent reports of copper wire fires and theft indicate someone is still buying the ill-gotten metal, said former Brandon police chief Wayne Balcaen, who is the MLA for Brandon West and the Tory justice critic. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Brandon West MLA and the Tory justice critic, Wayne Balcaen: 'Somebody's trying to use it as a source of income.' MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Brandon West MLA and the Tory justice critic, Wayne Balcaen: 'Somebody's trying to use it as a source of income.' 'Somebody's trying to use it as a source of income,' he said Thursday. 'What needs to happen is checking on the scrap metal dealers and determining if, in fact, they are following the act,' he said. The Scrap Metal Act, enacted in 2022, successfully stopped runaway thefts of automobile catalytic converters. The number of thefts dropped to just a dozen in 2024, from 1,801 in 2022. The law prohibits a person from selling a catalytic converter or such things as metallic wire that has had insulation or casing removed from it, unless they can provide proof of ownership to the dealer at the time of the transaction. It requires a scrap metal dealer to obtain proof of identification from the seller and retain records about the transaction, limit cash purchases of scrap metal and provide regular reports to law enforcement agencies. The Winnipeg Police Service said Thursday it is 'aware of various reports of copper wire theft and they are being investigated.' 'What needs to happen is checking on the scrap metal dealers and determining if, in fact, they are following the act.'–Wayne Balcaen It did not make anyone available for an interview, or respond to questions about whether or not the police service has sufficient resources to enforce the Scrap Metal Act. Manitoba Justice did not immediately respond Thursday when asked whether the issue is on its radar. Manitoba Hydro said the theft of copper equipment from its facilities is a 'serious and ongoing problem' and 'very dangerous.' 'In most cases, thieves attempt to remove copper wire that's connected to equipment or stations,' Hydro spokesman Peter Chura said. Christopher Katsarov / THE CANADIAN PRESS There are calls for a clampdown on scrap metal dealers who buy stolen copper wire, which puts thieves at risk of being electrocuted and results in 'wire fires' that release toxic material. Christopher Katsarov / THE CANADIAN PRESS There are calls for a clampdown on scrap metal dealers who buy stolen copper wire, which puts thieves at risk of being electrocuted and results in 'wire fires' that release toxic material. 'This is very dangerous, as thieves could be exposed to high-voltage electricity and seriously injured or killed.' Innocent bystanders and hydro workers are also put at risk, Chura said. 'Removing copper grounding wires can create hazards for our employees and the public around the damaged equipment.' The business representative for the hydro electrical workers' union said their members wear protective equipment and know how to handle live wires, but people who break into hydro facilities often don't. 'In the past, they've found people in our stations that are dead because they climbed on top of a transformer and tried to steal the copper while it's energized,' said Troy Craig with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2034. 'That's a high voltage, and of course they get killed,' he said. 'It does happen quite frequently,' said Craig, who couldn't provide the number of fatalities. Hydro was not able to provide such numbers Thursday. The public utility has taken steps to make it tougher for thieves to get at the copper, said Craig but, as long as they can make money selling it, the problem will persist. 'They've found people in our stations that are dead because they climbed on top of a transformer and tried to steal the copper while it's energized.'–Troy Craig 'If they don't have a market to sell it into, then it goes away,' the union rep said. 'The question is, where are they selling it? That's where I would focus my efforts,' Craig said. On Monday, the Free Press reported on the scourge of 'wire fires' after the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg expressed concern about the hazards of toxic smoke from thieves burning wires and cables to get at valuable copper. A man who lives near an urban encampment said he's complained to the city about the illegal burns but hadn't seen any enforcement of the city bylaw that prohibits burning such material. Howard Warren also questioned who is buying the copper from the wire fires when the Scrap Metal Act prohibits it. It's not just copper from melted wires and Manitoba Hydro grounding cables that are targets for thieves. Spooled copper is also sought after. Early Monday, Winnipeg police responded to a burglar alarm at a Manitoba Hydro facility on Henlow Bay and arrested a man who was in the process of collecting spooled copper wire. In a recent, similar incident in Lac du Bonnet, the target was also a spool of copper wire, said Chura. Weekday Mornings A quick glance at the news for the upcoming day. In the attempted theft in south Winnipeg Monday, the 42-year-old suspect was found hiding between a fenced compound and an adjacent building, a police news release said. Chura said hydro security staff monitoring surveillance video provided real-time updates to help police locate the suspect, who police said had a knife and identification belonging to another person. He was wanted on outstanding warrants for failing to attend court and breaching release conditions. He was remanded in custody. Chura said there has been a reduction in the number of copper wire thefts: from 117 in 2018, to 44 in 2024 and 26 so far in 2025. He credited the Crown corporation's increased video surveillance and security patrols. Carol SandersLegislature reporter Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol. Every piece of reporting Carol produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
