On Friday, July 21, 2017, the Manitoba government committed to spending about $6 million to supply propane for the town of Churchill to help the town get through winter.
Due to washouts along the Hudson’s Bay rail line the town has been cut off by land routes. The owners of the rail line and the Port of Churchill, Omnitrax, has said that the cost to repair the line would be up to $60 million and that they were not prepared to undertake those costs. Omnitrax wants governments and first nations to foot the costs. In the meantime supplies in Churchill are having to be airlifted or sent in by ship.
“As the community faces uncertainty with regard to the future of the rail line and the Port of Churchill, today we are taking action to ensure that safety and security by facilitating the shipment of enough propane to support the town until next summer,” said Premier Brian Pallister.
Stittco Energy has been told to finalize logistics for the shipment and storage of 2.2 million litres of propane to supply Churchill. It is expected that this amount of fuel will support the area residents until at least June of 2018.
The shipment will leave a port in Quebec and make it’s way through Hudson’s Bay to the remote northern community in early fall.
-News 4-
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