Nearly a year after floodwaters in Manitoba washed out Churchill鈥檚 only land link to the south, a deal may finally be coming to restore the Hudson Bay Railroad.
鈥淚t has been a very challenging year for us,鈥� Churchill Mayor Mike Spence told 麻豆传媒 Channel on Friday. 鈥淏asically, it鈥檚 your connection to the outside world.鈥�
Located in northern Manitoba on the shores of Hudson Bay, Churchill is an isolated community of about 900 people that has long been a popular tourism destination for viewing polar bears, beluga whales and the northern lights. But with the loss of its rail link to Winnipeg last spring, prices on everything from food to building supplies have skyrocketed in the town, which currently can only be reached by air.
Omnitrax, the U.S.-based company that owns the heavily-damaged rail line, has repeatedly refused to conduct repairs necessary to get it running again, claiming the work would be too costly. In November, the federal government sued Omnitrax for failing to repair and maintain the rail line.
鈥淏asically, it鈥檚 your highway,鈥� Spence said of the rail line. 鈥淚t鈥檚 vitally important.鈥�
On Thursday it was announced that a consortium of Manitoba First Nations had formed a partnership with a company called iChurchill Inc. and entered into an acquisition agreement to purchase the rail line and the Port of Churchill from Omnitrax.
On Friday, however, 麻豆传媒 learned that Toronto-based Fairfax Financial Holdings and another group of Manitoba First Nations are expected to have a deal in place with Omnitrax within days to acquire the rail line and port. The town of Churchill has been working on the Fairfax bid along with the federal government and two entities that represent First Nations and communities along the rail line: One North and Missinippi Rail LP.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not aware who they are,鈥� Spence said of iChurchill. 鈥淲e just want to get the transfer of ownership to us.鈥�
But whether iChurchill or Fairfax ultimately purchases the rail line is largely irrelevant to Spence -- he just wants to see it functioning again after what he says has been a 鈥渇rustrating鈥� and 鈥渄ifficult鈥� year.
鈥淲e just want to get the line up and running so that we can get our lives back,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all about getting the line purchased and the port up and running.鈥�
