MB: Agreement reached on Churchill rail line
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A long-standing issue for the residents of Churchill, Manitoba is about to come to an end following a deal to sell the flood-damaged line leading to the remote town of Churchill, which has been without a land route since the railway flooded in May 2017.
The railway and the Port of Churchill have been purchased from Denver-based Omnitrax Inc. by Arctic Gateway Group Limited Partnership, a private-public partnership that includes Missinippi Rail Limited Partnership, a consortium of First Nations and communities; Fairfax Financial Holdings; and AGT Food and Ingredients Inc. The deal closed on Friday, August 31, 2018.
The Manitoba government has indicated they expect repair work to start before the freeze sets in this fall, but it has financial and logistical contingencies in place to ensure Churchill and the surrounding area have propane should the town have to endure another winter without the rail line intact. The CPA appaluds the Manitoba and federal governments for the role they played in concluding this transaction and looks forward to the resumption of services. The Manitoba Premier’s statement can be read here.
