Prairie grain is scheduled to begin moving along the Hudson Bay Railway to the Port of Churchill on July 17, representing the first such movement since 2020.
The shipment is described as a milestone in the revitalisation of the deepwater Arctic seaport, which has received financial and policy backing from the Government of Canada through Prairies Economic Development Canada and Transport Canada.
The rail and port infrastructure is operated by the Arctic Gateway Group, an enterprise owned by a partnership of 29 First Nations and 12 northern communities across Manitoba through parent company OneNorth.
Manitoba and Saskatchewan have also made commitments to advance trade through the northern corridor, which will export critical minerals, potash, and industrial goods to Nunavut this season.
"This is an important day for Arctic Gateway Group, for Prairie producers, and for the indigenous and northern communities that own this corridor," said Mike Spence, Chair of the Arctic Gateway Group and Mayor of Churchill.