OneNorth Community and Indigenous partners will assume 100 per cent ownership of the Port of Churchill, the Hudson Bay Rail line and the Churchill Marine Tank Farm.

The local group was part of the Arctic Gateway Group established in 2018. It purchased all of Churchill’s port and rail assets from U.S. based OmniTrax. AGT Food and Ingredients (a Regina based pulse processor) and Fairfax Financial were part of the Arctic Gateway Group.

Much needed repairs were made to portions of the rail line impacted by flooding four years ago. In the last two years, passenger and freight rail service have been restored. Seven grain vessels were loaded and destined for markets in North Africa, Middle East and Europe.

Earlier this month, the 50 per cent ownership share held by AGT/Fairfax was transferred.

“They are still helping with managing until we get organized and it will take a short time to do that,” said Mike Spence, Town of Churchill Mayor and the co-chair of OneNorth. “It is business as usual.”

Spence says OneNorth has approached the federal and provincial governments to assist with permanent infrastructure repairs.

“It is not any different than the investments that go into different infrastructure, whether it is roads or rails, in other parts of Canada,” Spence said. “It’s about doing it right and fixing it once and for all.”

Churchill provides AGT and other potential shippers with a shorter route to many overseas markets compared to the Port of Thunder Bay.

(Above picture: courtesy of OneNorth and Arctic Gateway Group)