The NeeStaNan group congratulates the Manitoba government in its support of railways and ports to Hudson Bay with its participation in the $60mm for the Arctic Gateway Group, which owns the Hudson Bay Railway and the Port of Churchill.
Products to and from the Canadian prairies have been disadvantaged for years because of ineffective transportation to tidewater and international markets. The potential for expanding economic activity, including training and jobs in Manitoba is many billions per annum with a year-round high-capacity corridor, railway, and port.
An example is the export of potash. Brazil is the largest importer of potash in the world taking 3 to 4 million tonnes per year of Canadian potash. Canada has half of the world potash and is the largest exporter of potash. A Hudson Bay route would dramatically shorten the rail and the ocean shipping distance. This saves green house gas emissions, fees for the canals, the cost of ships waiting in crowded ports and the time of goods to market.
CentrePort is a brilliant transportation hub in the middle of North America. Access to tidewater with a year-round port is needed for CentrePort reach its potential.
With their share of the $60 million the Manitoba government had contributed more than $100 million along side the federal contribution of more than $200 million of investment in the Port of Churchill and Hudson Bay Railway repairs and upgrades. This is a sign of significant interest in Hudson Bay shipping. In April 2023, the three prairie Provinces signed a memorandum to advance economic corridors and move products to various markets. NeeStaNan sees this investment as an indication of the Manitoba government’s belief in transportation as a tool to create jobs and economic development.
NeeStaNan wants to further advance these efforts by providing a solution to the challenge of transporting goods effectively and efficiently year-round. Envisioning an additional port near the mouth of the Nelson River with solid rail access, and manageable conditions for a successful year-round port. NeeStaNan’s Indigenous participants will partner with industry and government to build the additional components of the effective and efficient transportation system for northern Manitoba, the Arctic, and the northern prairies.
It is not difficult to envision hundreds of railcars per day going to Hudson Bay carrying prairie resources and containers to and from the world. Saskatchewan’s Premier Scott Moe has said the prairies have what the world needs. NeeStaNan and its Indigenous owners want to solve the challenges of getting goods effectively and efficiently to and from markets.
The Neestanan Corridor Project right of way will be 100% Indigenous owned. It will be a corridor across the northern prairies to a high-capacity year-round port for transportation and economic development opportunities in northern Manitoba and across the prairies. An important step in this process is to complete a feasibility study to examine the environmental & social impacts, engineering requirements and optimum locations for port expansions and additional developments.
The economic and social benefits for northern Manitoba and other parts of the prairies of a year-round port transporting goods to and from the prairies will be great. Manitoba will be a major beneficiary of the jobs, economic, and social benefits.