Norway House Cree Nation has reached a settlement with Manitoba Hydro to clear $1,728,489.37 in overdue electricity bills, stopping power disconnections that were set to hit more than 500 homes in the northern Manitoba community this week.
The agreement, announced June 25, came just days after Hydro was scheduled to begin cutting service the week of June 22 to accounts with balances of $300 or more, or those 60 days past due. Under the deal, the First Nation’s Chief and Council made an initial payment of $288,081.57 on June 18 and will make five monthly payments of $288,081.56 each from July through November 2026. Once all payments are made, Hydro will waive all interest and late fees.
While the settlement keeps the lights on, it also means residents whose accounts were in arrears must now pay back what the band covered. A community notice signed by Chief Season Roulette says affected members must contact the NHCN Finance Office to set up a repayment plan. If they don’t, the band may recover the money through payroll deductions, community distributions, contract payments, honorariums, housing benefits, or other funds payable by the First Nation until the debt is repaid.
Chief Roulette, elected May 1, called the settlement a one-time emergency measure and made it clear the band will not be covering individual hydro bills going forward. The Finance Office can be reached at 204-359-4882 or [email protected].
Norway House, located about 460 kilometres north of Winnipeg, is one of Manitoba’s largest First Nations with roughly 6,800 people living on reserve. The community has a long history with Manitoba Hydro, including a separate lawsuit filed in February over alleged damage to fish habitat and traditional lands from the Lake Winnipeg regulation project.
