Propane shipment heading to Churchill after residents ordered to ration use

A critical shipment of propane is arriving in Churchill earlier than expected.

The Port of Churchill announced Friday that a ship carrying the gas is expected to arrive today, well ahead of the planned delivery date in mid-July.The transfer ofthe gas to the community tanks is expected to take 18 hours.

The community had issued an emergency notice last weektoconserve propane because of low supplies and no shipment on thehorizon.

A Woodward's fuel vessel is also forecast to deliver diesel fuel and gasoline to Churchillthis weekend.

The town hadreceived its gas by rail until a flood swept away portions of the track in May 2017.

The propane shortage has been another hardship fora community battered by setbacks since the flooding.

A deal to buy the rail line appeared to flounder earlier this week when a spokesperson for Omnitrax Rail the American firm that owns the rail line to Churchill cast doubt that a group of Manitoba communities and a Toronto financial firm could reach an agreement to buy the line and port in the town.

Omnitrax was ordered last month to begin repairs on the rail line, which the firm has long maintainedit cannot afford. The company has said it plans to appeal the order.