Prairie grain transportation will resume at northern Manitoba’s Port of Churchill on Friday, for the first time since 2020, according to Arctic Gateway Group.
It will reach the deepwater port via the railway from the northern town of The Pas, Man., the company announced in a news release Wednesday.
From there, the grain will be stored and prepared for export to global markets before being shipped later this summer.
Churchill Mayor Mike Spence, who is also chair of the Arctic Gateway Group, said the renewed shipments are an example of the progress being made at the port.
“It’s a strong signal of the progress made to restore and rebuild this corridor, and of the opportunity ahead as we continue growing the business,” Spence said in the release.
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The port was shut down by its previous owner in late July 2016. It was sold to its current operator, the Arctic Gateway Group, in September of 2018.
Grain shipments began the following year before they were paused for two years in 2021 to complete railway upgrades.
Chris Avery, president and CEO at the group, said the diversification of exports will support nation-building.
“It is about diversifying Canadian trade through a reliable northern trade corridor, supporting the export of Western Canada’s vast resources, (and) strengthening Canada’s presence in the north,” he said in the release.
Later this year, the company said it will ship potash and critical minerals. It also plans on exporting industrial goods and equipment northward to Nunavut from the Port of Churchill.
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The port’s growth may see further expansion, with Premier Wab Kinew saying in April that the federal government is hoping to start shipping liquefied natural gas by 2030. Upgrades to extend the site’s trade corridors are being considered by Ottawa’s major projects office, which said in a February news release that it was gathering market research.
Reliable trade corridor? 😂
Excellent news indeed.
“diversifying” The most over used buzz word in 2026.
Good job on using existing infrastructure instead of taking it out I don’t know why we’re not doing this more across Canada