HUDSON BAY WATCH FACING CHALLENGES TO NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT By David Schmeichel
I ts world-renowned eco-tourism industry may sometimes pull focus, but there’s more to Churchill than polar bears and whale watching. And now that area tour providers have perfected their approach to bear- and beluga-boosting — not to mention sewn up their designation as one of the world’s best vantage points for viewing the northern lights — the rest of Churchill’s economic sector is poised to make further inroads, both figuratively and literally. A proposed winter ice road linking Churchill and Nunavut could boost mining development in the region, opening up trade and travel opportunities and better positioning the town as a supply chain for the north. And though OmniTRAX has put plans to transport crude oil through Churchill on indefinite hold — welcome news in the wake of a major summer train derailment — a renewed focus on grain and other commodities could draw attention from a host of other exporters. “With all the opportunity we have, and the international
awareness on our community, I think we can become a strategic point for the grain industry and for shipping,” says John Hrominchuk, Jr., president of the Churchill Chamber of Commerce. “We’re the only northern port in Canada. We’re also the jumping-off point for the supply chain for our forces in the north … We’ve got emerging mineral and oil areas opening up in Nunavut, and we have to be there to claim ownership of those fields.” With a population of 850 permanent residents (and an additional 12,000 or so tourists each year), Churchill is rife with economic opportunity — from the aforementioned commodities to as-yet unexplored facets of eco-tourism, to a near-constant demand for contractors, skilled tradespeople and health-care workers. Both the business sector and various levels of government are working to open up additional avenues for trade and tourist activity. To augment these efforts, Hrominchuk says the town needs to focus on “re-seeding” the area with new
8 MBiz | November 2014
Powered by FlippingBook