Premier Wab Kinew visited Churchill, Manitoba, on February 3 and 4, 2026, to meet with local leaders about expanding the Port of Churchill and advancing plans to create new energy and shipping jobs. The two‑day visit focused on progressing the Port of Churchill Plus concept — moving the community toward becoming a year‑round, multi‑commodity hub for critical minerals and for potential green energy exports.
During the trip, the Premier reviewed ongoing rail and port upgrades backed by about $60 million in combined provincial and federal support. Those improvements are being advanced in partnership with the Arctic Gateway Group (AGG), an Indigenous‑ and community‑owned consortium that owns and operates the Hudson Bay Railway and the Port of Churchill.
One of the main goals discussed was tripling the port’s storage capacity for critical minerals — including zinc concentrate that has already been shipped from Churchill — to help local producers reach international markets more easily through the northern trade route. AGG and industrial partners such as Hudbay Minerals have said they plan to materially increase shipments through the port.
The Premier also reviewed elements of the ‘energy corridor’ proposals under the Port of Churchill Plus initiative. Those concepts include the possibility of a new energy terminal capable of handling low‑carbon fuels such as hydrogen (and related carriers like ammonia) for export. Manitoba has described private‑sector interest in the area, though officials have said at least one potential investor remains unnamed and is working under a non‑disclosure agreement while feasibility work continues.
Beyond shipping, discussions included the proposed Kivalliq Hydro‑Fibre Link — a roughly 1,200‑kilometre transmission and fibre corridor concept that would use Churchill as a logistical base to bring renewable electricity and high‑speed internet to communities in Nunavut’s Kivalliq region. The link is part of longer‑term feasibility and investment planning under the Port of Churchill Plus umbrella rather than a fully approved construction project.
