Churchill facility takes hit

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This article was published 15/06/2017 (3049 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A non-profit research and education centre outside of Churchill is scrambling to raise money after rail line washouts in the region has left it facing an $80,000 increase in operating costs.

That number could increase if more groups cancel visits to the centre and fuel and food expenses continue to rise over the summer.

“We’re really trying to think outside the box and keep our costs down, but there is only so much we can do,” said Grant MacNeil, executive director of the Churchill Northern Studies Centre. “As a non-profit, every dollar we save helps us keep doing the good work we do. It feels like a really big hit, after a series of big hits up here, so it’s kind of disappointing.”

The centre, located 23 kilometres east of Churchill, carries out research projects throughout the year and hosts a number of schools and university students for educational purposes.

It’s the site of the world’s longest-running study of polar bears and it does important work on changes to the tree line in the region. Anything that “walks, talks, swims, eats or is eaten,” has been covered at some point in the centre’s history, MacNeil said.

The rise in operating costs stems from a $20,000 increase in transporting goods to the centre and $60,000 in lost revenue, mostly from cancellations by schools no longer able to afford the travel expenses.

As an independent non-profit, the centre receives roughly 10 per cent of its funding from the government and donations, relying on revenue to fund the other 90 per cent of its budget.

“Rail is a vital link for Churchill and the (centre),” MacNeil said. “One of our biggest strengths is how accessible we are to learners and researchers, but that will be in jeopardy without help.”

Rail service between Gillam and Churchill was suspended indefinitely on May 23 due to flooding in the region and will not be reinstated until the spring of 2018, at the earliest. Some areas remain under water.

The centre is looking into shipping in necessities by air, but the cost is much higher even with a reduced rate offered by the airline company Calm Air. Centre officials are looking into having supplies delivered by a ship from Montreal, but that would not arrive until August or September.

The centre has an estimated three-month supply of fuel, but not enough propane to last the summer.

MacNeil said the centre is soliciting donations from the public and people who have stayed at the facility.

“We have people from every continent on our membership list and some who are really committed,” MacNeil said. “So we’re not only asking the public, but also our members, to step up in this difficult time.”

The centre is planning a celebration later this summer to commemorate its 40th anniversary, which organizers hope will draw people up to the centre despite the rail line being out of operation.

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They remain optimistic the event may help to recover some of the lost revenue from group cancellations.

“Sometimes when things are bad, it’s the best time to gear up for a celebration like this and come together,” MacNeil said.

“We’ve got a world renowned keynote speaker scheduled, an award-winning Canadian band and our cooks are gearing up for a great meal. This rail line isn’t going to hold us back.”

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca