Kinew, Carney announce another step forward for Port of Churchill project

New cash for the Port of Churchill, and a commitment to further the project, came from the province Sunday as Prime Minister Mark Carney met with Premier Wab Kinew.

They issued a joint announcement hours before the Grey Cup, which Carney visited Winnipeg to watch.

Manitoba has slated another $51 million for Hudson Bay rail line upgrades and a new critical minerals storage facility at the northern port. The province’s total project investment sits at $87.5 million.

Some federal funding will flow to the Arctic Research Foundation for a feasibility study on the use of icebreakers, ice tugs and research vessels at the port. Ottawa announced $175 million for the Port of Churchill Plus project last March.

Carney and Kinew, in their statement, said they aim to release a strategy and project plan next spring.

“Strong commitments from Manitoba and Canada give us the tools to continue modernizing our operations and preparing for a broader range of global trade opportunities,” Chris Avery, president of Arctic Gateway Group, said in a statement.

Arctic Gateway Group owns the Port of Churchill and the Hudson Bay Railway. It’s made up of 41 Indigenous and northern communities.

Kinew has previously said the deep-water port will “Trump-proof” Canada. Politicians have touted the Arctic access point as a route to Europe and other markets.

The project was referred to Ottawa’s Major Projects Office last September. Work has involved establishing project building blocks and creating a project charter, Carney and Kinew’s statement reads.

A Manitoba Crown-Indigenous Corporation board is being created; once made, the entity will be a full partner in the project development.

“This strong collaboration highlights the Port of Churchill Plus as a priority and will help move it from consideration to implementation,” the joint Carney–Kinew statement reads.

“Significant progress has been made to date and this will only continue to pick up speed.”

The statement points to “critical path pieces of work” such as assessing business cases for infrastructure that can support economic development and compel private sector funding.

New and previously announced government money will be used for storage and loading systems, wharf improvements, more marine vessels, and preliminary engineering work to build up the railway, among other things. Such upgrades will strengthen a line vital to northern communities and customers shipping through Churchill, an Arctic Gateway Group news release reads.

The Manitoba government tabbed $750,000 for a study on using ice-breaking to open the Hudson Bay for all-season shipping. In August, Arctic Gateway Group inked a deal with global shipping company Fednav to explore year-round shipping.

Kinew has floated the idea of shipping energy like liquified natural gas and hydrogen through the port. Arctic Gateway Group anticipated, in the summertime, it’d move upwards of 20,000 tonnes of zinc concentrate through the port this year.

The Port of Churchill saw its first shipment of critical minerals in more than 20 years in 2024. Ten thousand tonnes of zinc concentrate flowed through.

Arctic Gateway Group has been renovating the rail line and port since it took ownership in 2018.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com