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The Progressive Conservatives’ self-imposed deadline for an independent review of the Churchill Falls memorandum of understanding has arrived.
The Newfoundland and Labrador government confirmed it received the report Thursday evening. Premier Tony Wakeham is not certain when the House of Assembly or the public will lay eyes on it.
“Everybody will have an opportunity to see exactly what’s in the report,” Wakeham said Thursday prior to receiving the report. “I can’t … say exactly what date we’ll release it.”
Wakeham has advocated for a review of the MOU since the previous Liberal government presented it in December 2024. He selected a panel shortly last November, soon after his party formed government.
Former Emera CEO Chris Huskilson along with economist Guy Holburn and accountant Michael Wilson had four months to look over the non-binding agreement and recommend changes to the PC government before signing an official agreement with Quebec.
Wakeham said in November the members were paid and predicted the review would cost $1 million.
WATCH | The N.L. government now has the Churchill Falls MOU analysis in hand:
The Churchill Falls MOU review is done — and government has the final report in hand
One of Tony Wakeham’s first orders of business as Newfoundland and Labrador’s premier was to order an independent review of the Churchill Falls memorandum of understanding. He gave a three-person panel four months to give the document a second look, and that deadline has arrived. The CBC’s Terry Roberts reports.
The province’s Liberal party has been skeptical of the review panel since the members were chosen. Holburn and Wilson were on the Liberals’ own MOU oversight committee.
Wilson quit that panel last May, citing concerns about its performance. He was particularly critical of the tentative agreement and said a better deal is possible.
“We already know how one person feels about this,” Liberal Leader John Hogan said Thursday. “We’ll be shocked if they say anything other than what they’ve already commented publicly.”
Wakeham defended his decision to reporters and said he hasn’t spoken to any members of the committee since giving them the hefty task.
Hogan said he doesn’t know anything about Wakeham’s relationship with Quebec’s new premier, Christine Fréchette, and fears an opportunity could be lost by delaying negotiations further.
There are two sides to the Churchill Falls deal. Negotiations will have to be held with Hydro-Quebec, with the province being led by new Premier Christine Fréchette. (Sylvain Roy Roussel/CBC)
The MOU as it stands would see the province take in more than $225 billion over the next 50 years and increase power output on the Churchill River by nearly 4,000 megawatts — largely powered by the development of the Gull Island hydroelectric project.
The previous government, along with Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and Hydro-Quebec, had committed to signing a deal by April 2026.
The framework agreement with Hydro-Quebec laid out in the MOU is set to expire at the end of Thursday night. However, Wakeham and his government still fully intend to develop the Churchill River.
“Obviously we want to get the best deal for Newfoundland and Labradorians. I mean, that’s always been the goal: let’s make sure we maximize the benefit for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador,” Wakeham said Thursday.
The premier has also promised to put any deal to a public referendum, but said Thursday it’s “too early to be talking about referendums.”
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