Manitoba Chamber of Commerce
Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/141831
NORMAN SEA CHANGE PORT PLOTS NEW DIRECTION FOR THE NORTH By Jon Waldman W hen Manitoba looks for new directions in economic development, it should look to the North. At its annual general meeting in May, the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce called on the province to maximize northern opportunities. The Port of Churchill is a vital transportation link for the province, and for Canada as a whole. Its location allows clients to save time and money by avoiding congestion and handling costs associated with shipping from some other ports. Built in the 1930s, it's seen a lot of changes over the years. Ports Canada sold it to OmniTRAX in 1997 and in 2011, changes to the Canadian Wheat Board brought new challenges. "When the Wheat Board was marketing barley and wheat, the port essentially had one customer for grain," says Jeff McEachern, executive director of the Churchill Gateway Development Corp. "With the changes, it has caused the port to go out and develop changes with industry participants and develop customer relationships. We went from having one customer 10 MBiz June 2013 MBiz June 2013_final.indd 10 6/21/13 2:54:55 PM