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“The study found that overall, a majority ... say Manitoba Hydro should make the necessary investments to maintain reliability even if it would increase the average monthly bill,” a document filed this month with the Public Utilities Board reads.

The survey, conducted by Innovative Research Group in February and filed with the board last week, asked respondents whether they would be willing to pay a certain amount more on their monthly bill to avoid more or longer power outages. Respondents were presented with one of three monthly amounts — $6, $9 and $12.

Almost two-thirds of those given the $6 option agreed with the idea of Manitoba Hydro spending more to maintain reliability even if it meant a higher monthly bill. That support dropped to 49 per cent for those presented the $12 a month scenario.

Respondents were also polled on the possibility of paying different rates at different times of the day in order to persuade people to avoid using power at times of peak demand. Some energy utilities in Ontario already have such a system.

More than half of respondents said they would either definitely or probably consider switching to nighttime use if it meant a lower rate for a number of items — running a dishwasher, charging an electric vehicle, using a washer and dryer, or taking a bath or shower. 

Fewer than half said they would run heating or air conditioning or cook meals more often at night to take advantage of lower rates.

The online survey of 1,260 Manitobans was conducted between Feb. 4 and 17. Because the online survey was not a random probability-based sampling, it cannot be assigned a margin of error.

Manitoba Hydro has long said it needs more money to prepare for the future and is asking the regulator to approve three annual rate hikes of 3.5 per cent starting next year.

In its initial application package in March, the utility said it must spend $31 billion over two decades to maintain and improve existing infrastructure and expand generating capacity.

Much of the infrastructure along the Bipole I and Bipole II transmission lines, which carry the bulk of the province’s electricity from northern generating stations, is more than 50 years old and past the expected service life, the utility said. The utility has been laying the groundwork to modernize the lines since at least 2022.

Manitoba Hydro is also planning to partner with Indigenous-led groups for 600 megawatts of new wind energy. The utility has said it could need new generating power as early as 2029 to meet growing demand.

The Manitoba Eco-Network, a non-profit environmental group, said efforts to conserve energy could be more effective than building more power generation in keeping rates down. The group said it plans to question at hearings in the coming months why Manitoba Hydro recently signed export agreements with Saskatchewan and Minnesota utilities at a time when new generating power will soon be needed.

“It seems strange to me that they were entering into these export arrangements when we’re also saying that we need that power,” executive director James Beddome said.

The Consumers Coalition, which represents four non-profit groups including the Manitoba branch of the Consumers’ Association of Canada, plans to press Manitoba Hydro on efforts to control costs in order to keep rates affordable.

“They’ll ... be looking for Manitoba Hydro to be keeping things under control inside its own house,” Chris Klassen, a lawyer with the Public Interest Law Centre who represents the coalition, said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 16, 2025