MBiz | November 2014

Supply Line: The railroad is a vital link for northern communities and the Port of Churchill.

CHURCHILL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FLIN FLON & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE GILLAM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THE PAS & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THOMPSON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

families and residents — noting there’s plenty of affordable infrastructure in place for smaller grocery stores, boutique industries and the like. That said, he’s also cognizant of the unique financial challenges posed by Churchill’s location on Hudson Bay. “The cost of getting the goods up here and the reliability of that service is the challenge that we’re working on,” he says. Those challenges came to the fore last summer, when rail service to the region was halted following a June derailment of grain cars. Frontiers North Adventures CEO John Gunter says any derailment immobilizes the town of Churchill and other northern communities that rely on Churchill as a supply hub. “Everything is built around the rail line,” Gunter says. “When that railway is not working, nobody’s working. We have a hotel property in Churchill and we were laying off staff because when the port workers aren’t working, they’re not spending money … going out for dinner, going to the gym, renting movies. Everything just kind of ground down to a halt for about a month there.” The standstill prompted the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce to call on the provincial and federal governments for strategic direction on rail infrastructure in the North, as well as a long-term solution that ensures the viability of both the Hudson Bay Rail Line and the Port of Churchill. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE >>

9 MBiz | November 2014