Local municipalities affected by the Manitoba Minnesota Transmission Line project will be meeting this week as they advocate for funding that was previously promised to them by Manitoba Hydro.

Just over a month ago, the utility announced it would be cancelling a Community Enhancement Program worth a collective $4.2 million that was to be paid out to the RMs of Tache, Springfield, Ste. Anne La Broquerie, Piney and Stuartburn.

Ste. Anne Deputy Reeve Randy Eros says because Hydro is a crown corporation, they are exempt from any kind of permit fees that would otherwise be assessed for access to private or municipal property. However, he notes this line is strictly for profit as it is an export line south of the border and says ratepayers should benefit from having those towers in the municipality.

"We say Manitoba Hydro but let's be clear on this, this is the provincial government dictating what Manitoba Hydro should and shouldn't do. Anything else is probably just playing with it and I think it'll be a tough hone but I think they need to hear that," states Eros.

When Hydro announced they were cancelling the funding program, they said it was because the provincial government had taken a "different position on benefit programs of this nature."

Meanwhile, Eros says even if the decision is not reversed, it is a message Manitoba Hydro needs to hear.

"We're not looking after our fellow Canadians in this case. This isn't power going east, it’s power going south through our municipality and it’s a burden on our RM," he adds.

Leaders from the six affected municipalities are scheduled to meet this week in La Broquerie where Eros says they will come up with a game plan to fight this.

Construction on the transmission line is expected to begin later this spring once it receives federal approval.

Read more: Local Reeves Banding Together To Regain Thousands Of Dollars