Pick up the phone or pull out your cheque book – it’s your choice. Unless enough Manitobans urge the provincial government to reconsider its BiPole 3 decision, we’re going to pay dearly for the mistake for decades to come.

You see, new hydro dams in northern Manitoba require a new electricity line, known as BiPole 3, to transport the power to southern Manitoba. While Manitoba Hydro had always planned on building the line down the east side of the province, the provincial government has ordered Hydro to build the line down the west side; a route that is approximately 400-600kms longer. The additional cost for the west route is at least $1-1.4 billion.

Analysis recently released by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and environmental and engineering experts shows the west route cannot be defended on an environmental, engineering or economic basis. It may help the NDP politically, but the analysis shows it’s not in the best interests of Manitobans.

The government has suggested that BiPole 3 cannot be located beside BiPoles 1 & 2 in the Interlake region as it’s a security threat; a wind storm in 1996 knocked out 19 towers along that route. However, data from Environment Canada and the department of Natural Resources shows the proposed western routes for BiPole 3 will run through parts of Manitoba with the highest incidence of tornados and lightning. By contrast the east side route has far less exposure to lightning and tornado activity.

Under Premier Doer, the government suggested it would be too difficult to negotiate with the aboriginal communities on the east side of Manitoba. However, Manitoba Hydro rolled up its sleeves and negotiated deals with aboriginal communities to build the new dams in northern Manitoba, so why can’t it do the same for the transmission line? The new roads that are being built by the province on the east side for those communities could certainly be used as leverage during the negotiations.

On that note, it has been suggested that the east side forest area being set aside for a special United Nations designation (UNESCO) must remain “pristine.” Yet, when one overlays provincial highway maps, mining maps, Manitoba Hydro maps and even a map from the 2009 Travel Manitoba guide, it’s clear the area is anything but pristine. A major hydro line already runs through the area, winter roads cut through the region, mining activity is present and several fly-in fishing camps exist. Beautiful? Yes. Pristine? Hardly.

However, even with a transmission line running through it, the east side area would still have far less development than Alberta’s Banff National Park, an UNESCO designated site.

Most surprising is the claim that the additional costs of the west side route can simply be passed off to American customers. In reality, any unnecessary cost to the crown corporation will reduce its profitability. Therefore, the benefits delivered to Manitoba Hydro’s shareholders – Manitobans – would be less.

It’s not too late to reverse the decision. Several experts are willing to pitch in and help plot an environmentally friendly east side route, hopefully Premier Selinger will take them up on it. It’s up to you to convince him to do so.