MBiz | June 2013

business is booming. B IZ MB

FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: Contact your MBiz sales consultant or Edith Bonner at t: (204) 697-7389 e: edith.bonner@freepress.mb.ca

There are economic advantages to using the port to ship grain and other goods to Africa, South America and Europe. Photos courtesy of Churchill Gateway Development Corp.

to having many, so it’s been a change and it’s been a challenge, but it’s also been very positive.” Infrastructure improvements have helped. With efforts to enhance the Hudson Bay Railway — which is now owned by OmniTrax — the port is becoming more attractive to clients. “Over the last couple years there has been significant investment in the railway itself, in stabilizing the railbed and improving the service of the railway,” McEachern says. “So we’ve seen significant improvement in the quality of rail service in the last number of years and that obviously contributes to an enhanced customer experience. “Combine that with the level of economic activity in the North – mining activity in Nunavut and those opportunities – and they all present great growth opportunities for the port.” Much of this new activity comes from the Atlantic basin, where partnerships have been forged with companies throughout Europe, Africa and South America for grain exports. “Even with the changes to the Wheat Board, we’ve continued to see support for the port, because there is an economic advantage for a grain company to export — through the port – to a destination like West Africa,” McEachern says. With a mandate to create opportunities for Manitoba’s diverse commercial industries, the Churchill Gateway Development Corp. is looking beyond grain. For example, it sees opportunities in the mining industry in Nunavut and the growth of the potash industry in Western Canada. There’s also been a lot of discussion about the potential for exporting unrefined petroleum to international markets. “Those are all diversification opportunities we pursue, look at carefully, and determine whether the port is well suited to facilitate that new type of opportunity in the future,” McEachern says. “We see great opportunity through Western Canada and being able to offer a competitive advantage.” www.portofchurchill.ca

Thompson, MB

ACityof Unlimited Opportunities! Identifying and pursuing opportunities for Northern Manitoba. City of Thompson .................................... 204-677-7910 www.thompson.ca Thompson Chamber of Commerce........ 204-677-4155 www.thompsonchamber.ca Thompson Unlimited............................... 204-677-1900 www.thompsonunlimited.ca

11 MBiz June 2013

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