March 26, 2024
Manitoba Government Appoints New Board for Efficiency Manitoba
– – –Board Focused on Cleaner Environment, Lower Energy Bills: Schmidt
The Manitoba government has appointed a new board of directors for Efficiency Manitoba and issued a new mandate letter to the Crown Corporation, Environment and Climate Change Minister Tracy Schmidt, minister responsible for Efficiency Manitoba, announced today.
“Our government cares about what makes Manitoba special – the nature, the people, the community spirit,” said Schmidt. “We know families want to do their part to keep our environment clean, safe and healthy, and they want to lower their energy bills at the same time. Efficiency Manitoba helps make cleaner energy choices more affordable for Manitobans and contributes to our province’s overall net-zero emission goals. Board members are ready to address the challenges ahead of us including the impacts of climate change and higher costs for working people. We’re ready to work together.”
The new board members are:
- Curtis Hull – professional engineer and project manager, owner and principal of Curt Hull Consulting and project manager, Climate Change Connection.
- Cindy Choy – developer and manager of a family-owned modular and mobile home park in Brandon that focuses on development and construction of small, energy-efficient and affordable homes, and chair of Sustainable Building Manitoba.
- John (Jack) Winram – executive director, Manitoba Environmental Industries Association, and chair of the Certification Advisory Committee.
- Kimberley (Kim) Laycock – dean of University College of the North, current president of the Thompson Community Foundation, treasurer of the Norman Northstars U18 Hockey Club and vice-president of the Thompson Co-op Gas Bar.
- Steven Sobering – councillor for the City of Dauphin, entrepreneur, longtime advocate for energy efficiency including as Dauphin’s energy efficiency advocate.
- Chantel Henderson – former clean energy co-ordinator, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, and member of the board of directors, Manitoba Eco-Network.
- Dudley Thompson – principal consultant with Dudley Thompson Consultancy and board member with Sustainable Building Manitoba and Oxfam Canada.
- Duane Nicol – chief administrative officer for the City of Selkirk, University of Manitoba instructor, chair of the Marine Museum of Manitoba, president of the Manitoba Municipal Administrators and member of the board of directors, Association of Manitoba Municipalities.
- Stewart Hill – senior research and policy analyst, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO).
One continuing board member is:
- Jeannette Montufar-MacKay – CEO and founding partner of MORR Transportation Consulting Ltd., a transportation engineering firm in Winnipeg, co-founder of Trainfo, a technology startup, registered professional engineer. As board chair of Efficiency Manitoba since 2018, she continues in her role while providing important continuity benefits at the board level, noted the minister.
“I am excited to start working with the board and want to thank all members for accepting this responsibility,” said Schmidt. “I am also excited to share a new mandate letter to help guide the board in its important work.”
As outlined in the new mandate letter, the minister noted the board’s top priorities include:
- integrating provincial climate and energy priorities into Efficiency Manitoba’s three-year efficiency plans and supporting Manitoba’s climate change and net-zero commitments;
- delivering Manitoba’s new Affordable Home Energy Program;
- actively target beneficial electrification and increase the uptake of geothermal home heating;
- working with Indigenous nations to reduce the energy burden experienced in First Nation and Métis communities, identify and reduce barriers to participation in energy efficiency programming and increase the uptake in Efficiency Manitoba’s Indigenous programs;
- supporting provincial objectives of attracting new low-carbon industries to Manitoba by providing new customers with energy efficiency programs and expertise; and
- working with Manitoba Environment and Climate Change, Manitoba Finance and the Public Utilities Board to ensure efficiency plans incorporate the resources needed to deliver new and expanded programs, deliver value for ratepayers and maintain energy affordability.
Read the full mandate letter at:
https://manitoba.ca/asset_library/en/executivecouncil/mandate/efficiency_manitoba_mandate_march_2024.pdf.
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