On January 19, 2026, the partners behind the Port of Churchill in Churchill, Manitoba signed a Memorandum of Understanding to join a new trade alliance designed to boost shipping and logistics links from the prairies to Hudson Bay. The initiative, called the Ports Manitoba Project, brings the local seaport together with major transportation hubs in Winnipeg to create a more efficient, high‑velocity trade route for goods such as critical minerals and northern supplies.
The agreement formally links the Arctic Gateway Group (AGG) — the operator of the Port of Churchill and the Hudson Bay Railway — with CentrePort Canada and the Winnipeg Airports Authority. The goal of the MOU is to make it easier for companies to move cargo by air, rail and sea through a coordinated, single‑window logistics approach.
For residents of Churchill, the partnership signals a continued shift away from a primarily seasonal, grain‑focused port toward a diversified operation. The MOU commits the partners to studying and evaluating options for a sustainable 12‑month shipping season and to expanding the port’s capacity to handle different types of cargo, including critical minerals (many of which are used in batteries) and other energy‑related products.
To support that growth, upgrades to the Hudson Bay Railway are underway or planned to increase capacity and speed — work described in source materials as aiming toward ‘Class I’ standards for heavier loads and higher operating speeds. Federal and provincial governments pledged more than $260 million combined in late 2025 under the ‘Port of Churchill Plus’ commitments; that funding is being used for wharf refacing and rail rehabilitation to prepare the port for increased and more frequent ship traffic.
Arctic Gateway Group is a partnership owned by 41 northern and Indigenous communities. Leaders from AGG, CentrePort Canada and the Winnipeg Airports Authority say the Ports Manitoba Project will help create new jobs and business opportunities in the north as the port grows as a gateway for international trade.
