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18 WINTER 2024 Arctic Gateway Group made his- tory this past summer with the first transport of 10,000 tonnes of zinc concentrate mined in Manitoba with the Hudson Bay Railway to the Port of Churchill, where it was loaded onto a ship that departed for Europe in early August. "That was the first-ever export of crit- ical minerals from the Port of Churchill and we are optimistic it's the start of many more to come," Avery says. "It was a huge milestone for us." Avery adds that for a country of its size and with a vast Arctic coastline, it only makes sense for Canada to fully develop its existing Northern Arctic sea- port. Upon achieving its business objec- tives, the Port of Churchill is expected to exceed $1 billion of associated annual Canadian GDP and support over 5,500 jobs once it's fully developed. Indigenous economic reconciliation with surrounding communities will pro- vide ongoing business and employment opportunities that will have a positive socioeconomic impact throughout the Northern Manitoba and Nunavut region. "As we invest in this infrastructure and as we build this business, there will be opportunities to create Northern growth, which will generate jobs," Avery says. In fact, job creation and growth for all industries across the province will re- sult from a strengthened supply chain. Companies that find ways to fill goods and service gaps, shorten their sup- ply chain and take a more sustainable approach while reducing their carbon footprint are going to reap the most benefits going forward. "If you can deliver your goods faster, cheaper and more consistently than your competitor, you have a competitive advantage," Reid says. "The question is, can we produce goods in a way that allows us to get access to other mar- kets where we're competitive with the world?" Circular concepts such as wood waste being turned into pallets for energy, repurposing steel and reprocessing plastics are some examples, Reid says. "Supply chains are always looking for a way to reduce costs. One of the big- gest costs is freight," he says. "For example, the transportation costs for sourcing recycled plas- tics nearby is less expensive than transporting new product from outside the province or internationally." Having trade agreements in place also allows Manitoba to be more competitive on an international scale. Edmundson says Canada is known for being progressive and pro-trade, and CentrePort helps lead the way as the country's first designated foreign trade zone. "Companies on site can access differ- ent programs that have different advan- tages," she says. "For example, com- panies can establish customs bonded warehouses in their facilities." The United States is Manitoba's big- gest trading partner, and thanks to the 2023 merger between the Canadian Pacific Railway and Kansas City Railway, there's more connectivity than ever from the northern terminus of the railway at CentrePort Canada Rail Park all the way down to Mexico. CentrePort's location at the intersection of four trade gateways — the Mid-Continent Corridor, the Asia Pacific Gateway, the Atlantic Gateway and now the Arctic Gateway — allows Manitoba companies to reach foreign markets in an entirely new way, Edmundson says. CLEARING A PATH TO SUCCESS CONT. Port of Churchill PHOTOS BY KAREN PATTERSON, ARCTIC GATEWAY GROUP

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