Allied Hydro Council

The Allied Hydro Council of Manitoba (AHC) is a Council of 17 construction and trades unions that build hydro projects across Manitoba. The Allied Hydro Council and Manitoba Building Trades share 12 member unions that are founding partners of both councils.

The principal mandate of the council is to secure Project Labour Agreements (PLA’s) with Owners, Project Managers, Governments, and Crown Corporation, that undertake major projects in Manitoba, including Hydro projects. 

Our objective is to secure PLA’s in order to obtain the best possible wages, benefits, and working conditions for Manitobans working in the construction industry. Our council prioritizes local hiring, training, and workforce development for underrepresented groups within our industry.

AHC and its member unions are proud of their track record of excellence. The legacy of Allied Hydro Council projects will benefit Manitobans for generations to come.

Photo of Keeyask Generating Station. Credit: servcocanada website.

The Burntwood Nelson Agreement (BNA). 

Established in the 1960s, the BNA was the governing collective agreement for the AHC and the Hydro Projects Management Association and was the longest continuous agreement of its kind in Canada.

Under the BNA, tens of thousands of union members in Manitoba partnered to construct major Hydro installations. These projects have placed Manitoba as the leading producer of clean, renewable energy and include:

  • Kettle Rapids Generating Station
  • Jenpeg Generating Station
  • Long Spruce Generating Station
  • Limestone Generating Station
  • Henday Convertor Station
  • Wusqwatim Generating Station
  • Keeyask Generating Station
  • Keewatinohk Convertor Station

The AHC believes that a skilled northern indigenous workforce must be an enduring legacy of these projects. To that end, we were an active partner in training residents of First Nations communities and generating sustained employment for indigenous workers in the north.