Mtis group wins small victory over Bipole III route

The Manitoba Mtis Federation has won its fight to postpone hearings surrounding the construction of Bipole III in light of route changes being proposed by Manitoba Hydro.

The MMF, which has hunting rights in areas where thehigh-voltage transmission could end up, says theroute changesneed more study.

The Clean Environment Commission is presently holding a public review in Winnipeg ofthe massive hydro line project that is slated to run 1,400 kilometres from northern Manitoba to just east of Winnipegandcost more than $3 billion to build.

Review hearings began on Tuesday and were scheduled to run until Nov. 27, but the commission announced late in the day that the hearings will be adjourned on Nov. 20 and resume March 4.

Manitoba Hydro will be expected to submit its environmental assessment report on the Bipole III route changes by Jan. 28.

All interested parties can then review the utility's report in time for hearings to resume in March.

Earlier on Tuesday, MMFlawyer Jason Madden said the Mtis organization has a constitutional right to be consulted on the route changes.

"They've moved the project, or the route, out of the area they have already environmentally assessed. So we don't know if it's better, worse, same. And I think that's the point," he said.

The proposed route changes may, in fact, be the best ones butthe public, and the MMF don't have enough information to reach that conclusion just yet, Madden said.

"That's why we need to have all the facts and all the information before the participants, the Clean Environment Commission, to make sure this route really is the best route," he said.