Manitoba’s premier says an announcement by the federal government is great news for the province.
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Canada’s first major industrial projects aimed at reducing economic reliance on the United States — and while highlights to be fast-tracked include a new copper mine in Saskatchewan and an expansion to the Port of Montreal, Carney also singled out the Port of Churchill as a project the feds would like to focus on down the line.
Premier Wab Kinew said it’s notable to see a project based in northern Manitoba get singled out on a national level.
“To see our federal government in Canada talk about Manitoba having a project of potential national importance, I don’t know if we’ve had that since Manitoba entered Confederation,” Kinew said at a press conference Thursday.
Ottawa says it will not only upgrade the port, but will work alongside the province and Indigenous partners to create an all-weather road, update the rail line, and have marine ice-breaking capacity — all with the goal of opening up the port to a year-round shipping season.
Kinew said it’s exciting for Manitoba to play a role amid the ongoing trade dispute with the U.S.
“Our economy needs a jolt of life and I think one of the ways we can do that is by building up the full potential of Churchill,” he said.
Port of Churchill “project” transformative for economy
