Record-Breaking Construction Progress for Hudson Bay Railway and Port of Churchill in 2024
Track Quality and Operational Efficiency Set Strong Foundation for Future Growth: Arctic Gateway Group
November 22, 2024, Winnipeg, MB – The Arctic Gateway Group (AGG) released new information that shows significant improvements in quality and overall operational efficiency of the Hudson Bay Railway.
Surfacing operations along the Hudson Bay Railway as part of the 2024 construction season
The 2024 construction season saw a record amount of work completed, with substantial investments made to enhance the railway and prepare for the redevelopment of the Port of Churchill. These upgrades position AGG for important growth and expansion opportunities in the years to come, especially as it relates to critical mineral exports, grain shipments, potash, northern resupply, and the ability to seize new import and export opportunities.
“The upgrades completed this year are a testament to our commitment to providing reliable and efficient railway services and ensuring that the Port of Churchill and the Arctic Trade Corridor can finally reach their full potential after so many years of neglect.”
“This year has been pivotal for AGG and the Hudson Bay Railway, with significant strides in improving our infrastructure and operations,” said Chris Avery, CEO of Arctic Gateway Group. “The upgrades completed this year are a testament to our commitment to providing reliable and e5icient railway services and ensuring that the Port of Churchill and the Arctic Trade Corridor can finally reach their full potential after so many years of neglect.”
The 2024 construction season set new records of investment and progress, including:
Spot Surfacing: In 2024, AGG completed 2.3 million feet of spot surfacing, which is critical to keeping the track level and safe for heavy loads. The 2024 work represents a significant increase from the 1.28 million feet in 2023.
Ties Installed: AGG installed 119,965 new railway ties in 2024, surpassing the 105,687 ties installed in 2023. This is essential maintenance for the railway that enables weight to be distributed evenly and safely.
Switch and Crossing Work: In 2024, AGG completed three major crossing rehabilitations, including a double track crossing in Churchill Port, and 11 new switch upgrades.
Ballast Unloaded: This year, HBR unloaded over 1,600 cars of ballast, which is essential in maintaining the stability and reliability of the railway, building upon a similar amount of ballast unloaded in 2023.
As AGG and its partners in the federal and provincial governments continue to invest in the renewal of the Railway and Port, the work done this year has resulted in excellent track quality conditions. Overall, travel time has been cut by 10%, representing a savings of 3 hours, with consistently good conditions across all parts of the Hudson Bay Railway. The use of modern railway monitoring technology, such as the regular use of drones and LiDAR to scan track conditions, as well as artificial intelligence to review data from these tools, allows AGG to keep track quality high in a way that wasn’t possible in the past.
“What we’re hearing from our teams is that the Railway is in better condition than it has ever been, and our plan makes sure it stays strong, reliable and efficient.”
These improvements reflect the ongoing commitment to maintaining and enhancing the safety and reliability of AGG’s railway infrastructure and allows AGG to turn their attention to the redevelopment of the Port of Churchill. As a locally owned and operated company, by 41 First Nations and Bayline communities, AGG fully understands the importance of making sure the Hudson Bay Railway is world-class, able to serve local communities reliably, and poised to handle the growth of the future – all of which is essential for AGG to deliver on its core goal of economic reconciliation.
Hudson Bay Railway train heading South from Thompson, Manitoba.
These efforts align with the strong statement of support that AGG received in Manitoba’s Speech from the Throne, on November 19, 2024, specifically:
“This summer, for the first time in two decades, Manitoba minerals were shipped out of the Port of Churchill. (The Province of Manitoba) will continue this partnership with the federal government, investing in Canada’s only deep-water Arctic port. These investments are critical to protecting arctic sovereignty.””
Avery added, “The 10,000 tonnes of critical minerals we moved on the Hudson Bay Railway this past summer, which we then shipped from the Port of Churchill to European markets, proved to the world that the Arctic Trade Corridor is not only viable again but able to move the vast resources of Western Canada to global markets in a shorter, more efficient way. I extend my gratitude to all the crews and teams for their hard work and dedication throughout the year to make this happen – we look forward to continuing to build on our strong progress.”
About Arctic Gateway Group: The Arctic Gateway Group is a proudly Indigenous- and community-owned Manitoba company that owns and operates the Port of Churchill, Canada’s only Arctic seaport serviced by rail, as well as the Hudson Bay Railway, which runs from The Pas to Churchill.
For more information, please contact:
Tom Garrett
204-806-3670