Manitoba farmers rallied outside Manitoba Hydro’s office on Portage Avenue Monday before heading to the legislature in a protest.
Farmers say Manitoba Hydro is sending surveyors and security teams onto farms, as part of the Bipole III project, without approved bio-security protocols.
Farmers said that puts soil at risk of diseases like Clubroot.
“When we talk to surveyors that work for Manitoba Hydro and want to know what they’re doing on our land and they send their security team out to bully us and say we’ve got no right to be there – that’s very concerning to us," said Jurgen Kohler, a farmer near Brunkild.
They also said Hydro refuses to sit down with landowners’ bargaining agents to negotiate.
Opposition Tory Leader Brian Pallister took up the issue in question period, saying the NDP government seems uninterested in collective bargaining when it comes to rural residents.
But the minister responsible for Manitoba Hydro, Stan Struthers, says landowners are being offered 50 per cent above market value.
Struthers also says the Crown corporation will meet with landowners to discuss the payment plan.
A Hydro spokesperson responded Monday to farmers' concerns.
“The fact of the matter is, we have a package in place and we need to be consistent, fair and equitable as we go forward with all landowners," said William Henderson, public affairs manager with Manitoba Hydro.
Henderson also refuted the suggestion of intimidation.
"Those allegations have been expressed earlier and looked into. We’ve spoken to them about those reports in the media and we feel they’re unfounded. We’re not in the business of intimidating anybody," said Henderson.
- with files from The Canadian Press
