Background

In December 2024, a Memorandum of Understanding for a New Long-Term Energy Purchase and Development Initiative (MOU) was signed by Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and Hydro-Québec.

The MOU includes the negotiation of a new long-term power purchase agreement for the Churchill Falls generating station and new hydroelectric projects, including Gull Island.

In December 2025, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador established the Independent Review Committee to evaluate whether the MOU is in the best long-term interests of the province.

The Committee’s Terms of Reference and issues it is considering can be found here. The Committee, which is formed under Part II of the Public Inquiries Act, is empowered to solicit submissions from the public as a mechanism of inquiry.

Churchill River / Mishta-shipu

Public Participation

The Committee is seeking public input to inform their work.

A full list of questions the Committee is encouraged to consider may be found in the Terms of Reference (here). The Committee may also consider any other questions it considers to be relevant.

If you wish to submit a statement for the Committee’s consideration:

  1. For shorter submissions, please use the form here. Submissions should be limited to 200 words.
  2. For longer submissions, the Committee asks that you email it directly to submissions@churchillriverreview.ca.

If you intend to provide a submission, the Committee respectfully asks that submissions over 2 pages in length include an executive, plain-language summary of its content.

All submissions will be treated confidentially. The Committee’s final report may cite specific comments or submissions without attribution.

Please note that the Committee will not respond directly to any submissions.

All submissions must be received before March 1st, 2026 to be considered.

Power lines

Committee Members

Chris Huskilson, President and CEO of 5-H-Holdings Inc.

Mr. Huskilson was President and CEO of Algonquin Power and Utilities Corp. from August 2023 until March 2025, during which time the company sold its renewables business and transitioned into a fully regulated electricity, gas and water utility. Prior to April 2018, Mr. Huskilson was President and CEO of Emera Inc for 14 years during which time the business grew from $3 billion in assets to $30 billion, including developing the Maritime Link providing NL Hydro access to the maritime electricity market.

Recently, Mr. Huskilson has been very active in the Atlantic Canadian startup ecosystem, a Founding Partner at CDL Atlantic, a founding member of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, a Founding Director of Endeavor Canada, a mentor and investor in startup companies. Mr. Huskilson is a life member of the Association of Professional Engineers of Nova Scotia and has served on many for-profit and not-for-profit Boards of Directors. He is past-chair of the Canadian Electricity Association, past-chair of the Greater Halifax Partnership and Past-Chair of the Energy Council of Canada. Mr. Huskilson is a member of the Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame, a recipient of the Energy Person of the Year, a recipient of the Catalyst Canada Award for advancement of women in the workplace, a recipient of the F.H. Sexton Gold Medal for Engineering and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (FCAE).

Guy Holburn, PhD

Guy Holburn is a Professor of Business, Economics, and Public Policy at the Ivey Business School, University of Western Ontario. His expertise includes corporate governance, regulation, and business strategy, particularly in the energy and utilities sectors. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and authored numerous reports on energy policies.

Dr. Holburn founded and directed the Ivey Energy Policy and Management Centre, and serves as a director of London Hydro, a board member of the Alliance for Research on Corporate Sustainability, and a member of the Council for Clean and Reliable Energy. He has consulted for corporations and governments in Canada and the U.S., providing advice on governance, regulation, competition policy, merger strategy, economic impact, and more. Dr. Holburn holds a PhD and MA from the University of California, Berkeley, and a BA (Hons.) from Cambridge University. He previously worked as a management consultant for Bain and Company and the California Public Utilities Commission.

Michael Wilson, CA, FCA

During his professional career spanning over 40 years, Mr. Wilson served in several leadership positions within the global professional services firm Ernst and Young including managing partner in St. John’s and senior partner in the Toronto office leadership group. Throughout his career, Mr. Wilson prepared and/or reviewed a significant number of commercial contracts and agreements relating to the formation of partnerships, joint ventures and public offerings and/or related to the purchase and sale of specific assets, business units, commercial entities, capital investments and various financing structures. He negotiated and executed a significant number of complex multi-jurisdictional, multi-entity contractual agreements. He also completed numerous consulting contracts including program development and evaluation, capital budgeting, risk management and forensic audits.

He has significant experience designing and deploying effective oversight mechanisms focused on critical corporate functions and initiatives. Mr. Wilson served clients in many sectors including power and energy, oil and gas, mining, technology, insurance, financial services, construction, fisheries, healthcare and transportation. In addition, Mr. Wilson provided consulting services to all three levels of government, sovereign wealth funds and trade unions. Mr. Wilson is a former president of both the St. John’s Board of Trade and Rotary Club of St. John’s East (Paul Harris Fellow) and former director of numerous NPOs and charities.