History

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The history of the electrical industry in Manitoba began over a century ago during the pioneer days of street lighting and street railway transportation in Winnipeg.

Before long, as the novelty of the new energy source gave way to necessity, other large communities in the province wanted the benefits that electricity would bring. They received electrical service but often at very high costs.

A few farsighted individuals saw the enormous advantages of large-scale generating facilities. Among them were a number of public-spirited citizens who felt that electricity should be made available at the lowest possible cost to the consumer.

Today we are a major energy utility providing the lowest electricity rates in Canada. We operate 16 hydroelectric facilities on the Saskatchewan, Winnipeg, Burntwood, Laurie and Nelson rivers, 1 thermal and 4 diesel generating stations.

Highlights of our history

The company has evolved over time – read about the very beginning of electrification in Manitoba. View a couple publications created by our home economists over the decades.

• The History of Electric Power in Manitoba (PDF, 5.3 MB) highlights some of the milestones in the electrical industry in Manitoba as well as the development of Manitoba Hydro and some of the significant events in the utility’s history.
• An Old-Fashioned Christmas (PDF, 12.7 MB) was created by City Hydro in the 1947. Read more about the food, games, and decorations of a long-gone era.
• Through The Cooking Glass (PDF, 1.5 MB) was created by Winnipeg Hydro and Manitoba Hydro’s home economists in the 1960s.
• Come Cook With Us (PDF, 1.6 MB) was created by the Manitoba Power Commission home economist before the company amalgamated with Manitoba Hydro in 1961.
• Mistletoe Menus (PDF, 2.9 MB) was produced in the 1960s by the City Hydro’s Home Service Department. All recipes were tested by the Hydro Home Economists. Manitoba Hydro purchased Winnipeg Hydro in 2002.

Connecting communities 1920 to 1961

1894 – Winnipeg’s Main Street, 2 years after the first electric streetcar.

1906 – Celebrating the first delivery of power from Pinawa to Winnipeg.

1926 – The only electric stove for sale in town is on this Carman parade float.

1923 – Employees and their families live in the townsite beside Great Falls.

1936 – Workers erect the first electricity pole in the town of Belmont.

1945 – Manitoba Power Commission entry in the Victory Parade.

At the end of this 41-year period, Manitoba Power Commission and Manitoba Hydro Electric Board were united to form Manitoba Hydro, and 523 communities were connected to the provincial power system.

The electrification of Manitoba

Winnipeg’s electrical system connected with its first community on August 16, 1920 with the transmission of power to Portage la Prairie.

1. 1920 – Portage la Prairie
2. 1921 – Carman, Minnedosa, Morden, Roland, Virden
3. 1922 – Elm Creek, Oakville
4. 1923 – Newton Siding
5. 1925 – Homewood, Miami, Myrtle, Rosebank, Sperling
6. 1926 – High Bluff
7. 1927 – Altamont, Cardinal, Crystal City, Cypress River, Darlingford, Glenboro, Holland, La Riviere, Manitou, Notre Dame, Pilot Mound, Rathwell, Somerset, Swan Lake, Treherne
8. 1928 – Winkler
9. 1929 – Baldur, Boissevain, Cartwright, Elkhorn, Killarney, Melita, Pipestone, Reston, Wawanesa
10. 1930 – Arrow River, Binscarth, Birtle, Brandon, Crandall, Foxwarren, Gilbert Plains, Gimli, Grandview, Holmfield, Miniota, Starbuck, St. Lazare, Winnipeg Beach
11. 1931 – Bradwardine, Harding, Kenton, Lenore, Napinka, Teulon, St. Claude
12. 1932 – Gladstone
13. 1933 – Elie
14. 1934 – Austin, MacGregor, Ninga
15. 1935 – Altona, Dominion City, Graham Siding, Gretna, Horndean, Letellier, Morris, Oak Lake, Plum Coulee, Rosenfeld, St. Eustache
16. 1936 – Alexander, Belmont, Beulah, Decker, Dunrea, Elgin, Fairfax, Griswold, Hamiota, Isabella, Margaret, Minto, Ninette, Shoal Lake, St. Francois Xavier, St. Joseph
17. 1937 – Elma, Whitemouth
18. 1938 – Balmoral, Bruxelles, Cardale, Clearwater, East Selkirk, Garson, Gonor, Gunton, Lorette, Mariapolis, Mather, McConnell, Newdale, Oakburn, Oak River, Rossburn, St. Alphonse, Ste. Anne, St. Jean Baptiste, Steinbach, Strathclair, Tyndall, Vista
19. 1939 – Angusville, Basswood, Carberry, Carroll, Culross, Douglas, Fannystelle, Forrest, Hartney, Haywood, Manson, McAuley, Nesbitt, Niverville, Otterburne, St. Adolphe, Ste. Agathe, St. Malo, St. Pierre-Jolys, Silverton, Souris, Thornhill
20. 1940 – Russell
21. 1941 – Birnie, Eden, Franklin, Kelwood, Laurier, Makinak, McCreary, Ochre River, Riding Mountain, Ste. Rose du Lac
22. 1943 – Rivers
23. 1944 – Aubigny, Dauphin, Neepawa, Ste. Elizabeth, Underhill
24. 1945 – Fortier, Greenway, Hargrave, MacDonald, Upper Seven Sisters
25. 1946 – Anola, Arborg, Arden, Arnaud, Bethany, Blumenort South, Brookdale, Brunkild, Camp Morton, Carey, Chater, Clandeboye, Clanwilliam, Dufrost, Dugald, Elphinstone, Elva, Erickson, Giroux, Glenella, Glenora, Ile des Chenes, Justice, Kane, Keyes, La Broquerie, La Rochelle, La Salle, Lowe Farm, Menzie, Moorepark, Neelin, Netley, Oakland, Oberon, Ogilvie, Petersfield, Pierson, Plumas, Poplar Point, Rapid City, Richer, Riverton, Sandy Lake, Sanford, Sydney, St. Leon, Wellwood, Westbourne, Wheatlands, Willen
26. 1947 – Arnes, Cordova, Cracknell, Deloraine, Delta, Dropmore, Gregg, Grunthal, Hazelridge, Hnausa, Ingelow, Inglis, Kaleida, Komarno, Lyleton, Magnusson, New Bothwell, Oakbank, Oak Bluff, Reinfeld, Roblin, Shellmouth, Sifton, Sinclair, Springstein, Stonewall, Stony Mountain, Valley River
27. 1948 – Bagot, Beaver, Beresford, Carlowrie, Chortitz, Cloverleaf, Dacotah, Edwin, Fraserwood, Goodlands, Graysville, Harte, Inwood, Kemnay, Lauder, Lena, Marquette, Medora, Meleb, McTavish, Oakner, Onanole, Osborne, Pope, Purves, Reaburn, Rosenort, Rounthwaite, Silver Plains, Snowflake, St. Lupicin, Tilston, Treesbank, Wakopa, Waskada, Whitewater, Woodbay
28. 1949 – Broad Valley, Chatfield, Dunnottar, Fisher Branch, Melbourne, Mentmore, Pleasant Point, Poplarfield
29. 1950 – Amaranth, Argyle, Ashern, Ashville, Bannerman, Bede, Bield, Broomhill, Caliento, Camper, Dand, Deepdale, Deleau, Eastdale, Endcliffe, Eriksdale, Ethelbert, Faulkner, Firdale, Fork River, Gardenton, Garland, Gnadenthal, Grahamdale, Gross Isle, Gypsumville, Helston, Hilbre, Lake Francis, Langruth, Landseer, Lavinia, Lundar, Magnet, Makaroff, Marchand, Mayfeld, Menesino, Moline, Moosehorn, Mulvihill, Pine Creek, Pine River, Ridgeville, Rorketon, Roseisle, Rosser, Ste. Amelie, St. Laurent, St. Martin, Sarto, Shevlin, Shortdale, Spearhill, Steeprock, Stephenfield, Stuartburn, Tenby, Tolstoi, Two Creeks, Vita, Waldersee, Warren, Winnipegosis, Woodlands
30. 1951 – Alonsa, Belleview, Blumenfeld, Chortitz South, Cook’s Creek, Cromer, Deerhorn, Domain, Fredensruch, Halbstadt, Haskett, Hochfeld, Katrime, Kirkella, Lac du Bonnet, Ledwyn, Libau, Meadows, Middlebro, Muir, Neuenberg, Norgate, Osterwick, Poplar Park, Regent, Reinland, Rosengart, Rossendale, Saltel, Scarth, Schanzenfeld, South Junction, Sprague, Stockton, Terence, Uno, Vassar, Vidir, Wampum, Woodnorth, Woodside
31. 1952 – Barnsley, Blumenort, Butler, Coulter, Dauphin Beach, Ebor, Ewart, Findlay, Grande Clairiere, Hilton, Kelloe, Ladywood, Lakeland, Methley, Mountain Road, Mountainside, Neuhorst, Olha, Polonia, Rosenort, San Clara, Schoenwiese, Solsgirth
32. 1953 – Beaconia, Benito, Birdtail, Bowsman, Dencross, Durban, East Braintree, Glencairn, Grand Beach, Grand Marais, Green Oak, Greenwald, Gull Lake, Hadashville, Harrowby, Kenville, Lavenham, Lydiatt, Malonton, McMunn, Millwood, Minitonas, Mink Creek, Ochre Beach, Overstoneville, Powerview, Rackham, Rhodes, Rosa, Roseau River, Ross, St. George, St. Ouens, Senkiw, Silver, Silverwood, Stead, Swan River, Thalberg, Valley View, Venlaw, Vivian
33. 1954 – Birch River, Clarkleigh, Cowan, Dufresne, Fishing River, Greenridge, Hecla Island, Lido Plage, Marco, Molson, Pratt, Rosewood, Sandy Lake Beach, Toutes Aides, Ukraina, Victoria Beach, Woodmore, Worby
34. 1955 – Albert Beach, Bellsite, Hanover, Camperville, Erinview, Kronsgart, Mafeking, Metigoshe Beach, Narcisse, Novra, Reeder, Rennie, St. Ambroise, Sandy Hook, Woodridge
35. 1956 – Assiniboia, Brooklands, Carrick, Charleswood, East Kildonan, East St. Paul, Fort Garry, Loni Beach, North Kildonan, Old Kildonan, Reeve, St. Vital, Transcona, Tuxedo, West Kildonan, West St. Paul
36. 1957 – Birds Hill, Emerson, Falcon Lake, Glenlea, Lockport, Sewell, West Hawk Lake
37. 1958 – Beausejour, Jordan
38. 1959 – The Pas
39. 1960 – Cranberry Portage, Glass Siding, Hazelglen, Melrose, Thompson
40. 1961 – Churchill
41. 1992 – Limestone
42. 2012 – Wuskwatim
43. 2018 – Bipole III
44. 2022 – Keeyask

Development of Manitoba’s electrical utilities

WESR. Co. ladder crew working on an electric trolley line.

Staff witness the first transmission of power to Portage la Prairie.

Field Operations head office at Kettle GS construction site.

Workers in the exploration tent camp on the banks of the Nelson River.

Workers walk through a snowy Kettle GS exploration tent camp.

A pet goose entertains workers at their summer tent camp.

The evolution of Manitoba Hydro

Starting with the Winnipeg Gas Company, a supplier of gas for lighting, many more gas, electricity, and transportation companies evolved in Manitoba during late 1800s until 2002 when Manitoba Hydro became the sole supplier of electricity.

1. 1873 – Winnipeg Gas Company
2. 1880 – Manitoba Electric & Gas Light Company
3. 1881 – Winnipeg Gas Company merged with Manitoba Electric & Gas Light Company
4. 1882 – Winnipeg Street Railway Company
5. 1883 – North West Electric Light and Power Company (Ltd.) (NWEL & P.Co.)
6. 1889 – North West Electric Company Ltd.
7. 1889 – Brandon Electric Light Company Ltd. (formation date unknown) built steam station in Brandon
8. 1892 – Winnipeg Electric Street Railway Company (WESR.Co.)
9. 1894 – Winnipeg Street Railway Company purchased by WESR.Co.
10. 1898 – Manitoba Electric & Gas Light Company purchased by WESR.Co.
11. 1900 – Winnipeg Selkirk & Lake Winnipeg Railway Company
12. 1900 – North West Electric Company Ltd. purchased by WESR.Co.
13. 1902 – Winnipeg General Power Company
14. 1904 – Winnipeg General Power Company merged with WESR.Co. and became Winnipeg Electric Railway Company (WERCo.)
15. 1905 – Suburban Rapid Transit Company became subsidiary of WERCo.
16. 1906 – Winnipeg Selkirk & Lake Winnipeg Railway Company became subsidiary of WERCo.
17. 1906 – City Light and Power Department
18. 1911 – Winnipeg River Railway Company, financed by WERCo., affiliated to Winnipeg River Power Company
19. 1913 – Winnipeg River Power Company became associate company of WERCo.
20. 1913 – Minnedosa Power Company (formation date unknown) built Minnedosa Hydro Plant
21. 1919 – Manitoba Power Commission (MPC)
22. 1920 – Manitoba Power Company, a subsidiary of WERCo., took over Winnipeg River Railway Company and Winnipeg River Power Company
23. 1921 – Canada Gas & Electric Corporation of Brandon formed with consolidation of Brandon Electric Light Company Ltd. and Brandon Gas & Power Company Limited
24. 1924 – WERCo. changed name to Winnipeg Electric Company (WECo.)
25. 1924 – Northwestern Power Company
26. 1927 – Northwestern Power Company merged with WECo.
27. 1931 – Canada Gas & Electric Corporation of Brandon purchased by MPC
28. 1936 – Winnipeg Electric Company’s Plan of Consolidation and Readjustment reorganized WECo. and its associated companies (Northwestern Power Company, Suburban Rapid Transit Company, Winnipeg Selkirk & Lake Winnipeg Railway Company)
29. 1949 – Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board Development Act passed in Manitoba legislature
30. 1951 – Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board (MHEB)
31. 1952 – National Utilities Corporation Limited acquired by MPC
32. 1952 – WECo. transferred its gas and transit assets to newly incorporated companies, Greater Winnipeg Gas and Greater Winnipeg Transit Company
33. 1953 – MHEB amalgamated with WECo.
34. 1955 – City of Winnipeg Hydro Electric System (City Hydro) became sole distributor of electricity in City of Winnipeg
35. 1955 – Manitoba Power Commission (MPC) became sole distributor of electricity in suburban Winnipeg and all of Manitoba
36. 1958 – The Pas Electrical Utility purchased by MPC
37. 1959 – Cranberry Portage Distribution System purchased by MPC
38. 1959 – Town of Selkirk Electrical Distribution Syst
39. 1961 – Manitoba Hydro
40. 1964 – City of Winnipeg Hydro Electric System (City Hydro) became Winnipeg Hydro
41. 1970 – Laurie River generating stations, owned by Sherritt Gordon Mines Limited, taken over by Manitoba Hydro
42. 1999 – Manitoba Hydro purchased Centra Gas from West Coast Energy Inc.
43. 2002 – Manitoba Hydro purchased Winnipeg Hydro