Manitoba delegation to pitch Churchill at Arctic Encounter Summit

A Manitoba delegation is taking its promotion of the Port of Churchill to the home of a growing Arctic port — one that Manitoba’s U.S. trade representative deems a threat.

Business Minister Jamie Moses, U.S. trade representative Richard Madan and government staffers are slated to touch down in Anchorage, Alaska, next week for the Arctic Encounter Summit.

The annual conference draws upwards of 1,000 people, including policymakers, from roughly 20 different countries.

Moses is preparing to speak about the Port of Churchill on an infrastructure-focused panel.

“We want to build those relationships, strengthen them — and that’s why we’re going to Alaska,” Moses said.

He also plans to connect with U.S. congressional delegates and meet with other countries’ diplomats and stakeholders. It’s the first time Manitoba has participated in the summit; Madan facilitated the booking, Moses said.

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski hosts the summit, Madan said. He’s been working on bringing a congressional delegation including Murkowski, an Alaska native, to the Port of Churchill.

Meanwhile, Nome, Alaska, has been building its own deep-water port. There’s an — at minimum — US$548 million plan to expand the port, the New York Times reported in January.

Nome is roughly 870 kilometres northwest of Anchorage. It doesn’t have access to major state road systems.

The construction project aims to enlarge Nome’s existing harbour’s outer basin and create a new deep-water basin with a depth of minus 40 feet (12 metres), a U.S. government website reads. The current basin depth hits minus 22 ft.

The change should allow for larger vessels to dock, according to the U.S. government.

Madan expressed concern about the U.S. project during a speech at a Manitoba Pork event in Winnipeg on Thursday, and later to reporters: “If the Nome project goes ahead before Churchill is modernized, that’s something to be concerned about.”

The New York Times pegs the expansion’s completion by 2033. Crews should start demolishing the existing port this summer.

Basic infrastructure upgrades are ongoing at the Port of Churchill. However, a major expansion is still being researched at the federal government level.

Ottawa and Manitoba have collectively slated $262.5 million over five years for the northern Manitoba port.

Moses said he isn’t worried about Nome’s hub. “I think our Churchill port will absolutely be able to stand out on its own,” the minister said. “It’s already building strong connections.”

Arctic Gateway Group, the Manitoba port’s owner, recently signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges International, Europe’s second largest port.

It’s a positive sign for Manitoba, Moses said. He noted European delegates will be at the summit next week; his panel sits on Thursday.

Conference speakers include U.S. senators and ambassadors from Europe, North America and Asia. The event runs April 15-17.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com