The RM of Piney has agreed to a voluntary easement agreement that will allow Manitoba Hydro to cross some of its land for the proposed Manitoba-Minnesota Transmission Line. Piney will receive a payment equal to 150 percent of the land value. Scott Powell, head of Public Affairs for Manitoba Hydro, says this is a standard payment for utilities in Canada for access to land for utility corridors.

"We pay them 150 percent of market value for that easement. That recognizes the benefit both to the landowner and Manitoba Hydro of securing these agreements voluntarily. What these agreements do is they provide us with the rights that we need to operate a right-of-way with the transmission line there. It gives Manitoba Hydro the responsibility to maintain that but the ownership of the land stays with the landowner under the voluntary easement agreement. We have a right-of-way through there but we don't own the property. We pay for an easement through the property and that lets them, when they sign a secondary land use (agreement), lets them continue to use the land largely in the same way as they have in the past."

Powell adds, when they put these projects through, they want people to feel they are getting value for their land and to feel that they are treated fairly. He notes land acquisition for the Manitoba-Minnesota Transmission Line is going very well.

"We already have voluntary agreements signed with just over 50 percent of the landowners along the route and that represents about 55 percent of total land required for the project. So, we're very pleased with the progress and are continuing to work with landholders and other stakeholders as we move through the regulatory process on the project."