Northern rail company estimates Churchill line can be fixed for $2M
Keewatin Rail says work would take 45 days, not including bridge work
The Keewatin Rail Company says it canrepair the Hudson Bay rail line to the northern Manitoba town of Churchill within 45 days for approximately $2 million.
The line has been shut since late May following a rapid spring melt and flooding that damaged the tracks from Gillam to Churchill.
Churchill Mayor MikeSpencesaid he asked the Indigenous-owned northern Manitoba railway to provide an assessment of how much it would cost to fix the line, and a timeline.
The two riders documented each breach along the route and provided way-finding markers and GPS locations.
Spencesaid he flew in a helicopteralong the line and took video of the damaged sections of the track. The company also used these images to make the repair assessment.
"They've got the experience, and some of these guys are ex-Hudson Bay Rail people and ex-CN Rail people. So we take their word for it," Spence said.
In late June,Spenceand the heads of the KeewatinTribal Council first raised the offer of KRC services to repair the line. The initial assessment did not include a dollar figure and estimated a repair time of two months.
Spencesays people in the Northhave grown weary of getting little communication from Omnitrax, which ownstheHudson Bay rail line and shut down the Port of Churchill last year.
"I think this is a huge part of it There is a lack of trust [in Omnitrax]," SpencetoldCBC News.
Spence said he's been contacted by people from across Canada expressing disgust at the situation and calling for a solution for both the rail line shutdown and the shuttered port facilities.
- Railway to Churchill broken in at least 24 locations, says Omnitrax
- Omnitrax can't afford to fix Churchill railway, says president
Omnitraxhas maintained since shortly after the flood thatthe damage along the rail line was substantial and it would take many months to repair multiple line breaches and bridges. The company also claims it can't afford to do the work and wants the provincial and federal governments to assist.
Omnitraxpromises assessment soon
Through a spokesperson, Omnitrax says itsown assessment of the line will be completed by July 19 and it will share the results with Transport Canada.
"Each year, HBR undertakes millions of dollars of seasonal repairs to the line north of Gillam. This year the damage to the line caused by spring flooding was unprecedented," a spokesperson forOmniTraxwrote in anemail.
"Our engineering firm,AECOM, began their work to thoroughly inspect the damages to the line as quickly as possible.That work is progressing as anticipated and that inspection has identified damage that was not visible from earlier aerial inspections."
Mayor wants state of emergency declared
Spence said he met with Economic Development MinisterCliff Cullen and Infrastructure Minister Blaine Pedersenlast Friday in Churchill.
"We feel that is the vehicle to start the process to getting the line fixed," Spence said.
But Spence said he hasn't gotten the province on board with declaring a state of emergency.
Minister calls Omnitrax 'missing partner'
Pedersen told CBC Thursday a state of emergency doesn't make sense and instead the province has a better plan for the subarctic community, which will come after the government sees an assessment of the railline's damage from an engineering firm the company has hired.
The minister called Omnitrax a "missing partner," from the current situation and said the province is still waiting for a meeting with the company.
"We need to know what their long term plan is."
Spence says he also spoke Wednesday to federalNatural Resourcesminister and Manitoba MP Jim Carr about the rail line.
He said Carr continues to offer hope the rail line will get repaired and there will be federal support to reopen the port.
Spencesays all parties are arranging for a meeting with Omnitraxthis weekbut, he says, "time is ticking."
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