Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "Churchill, Manitoba" in English language version.
Man, too, has intermittently found the rocky, wind-blasted bit of coast a fit place to settle: The Inuit stayed here in prehistory, European explorers in the early 17th Century, and the Hudson's Bay Co. a hundred years after that. The railroad reached the area in the 1930s to supply a grain port;
Discussions are quietly underway between Calgary's oil community, Canada's only Arctic seaport, railway companies, and refiners on the East Coast and the Gulf Coast, as well as in Europe, to collect unrefined oil by rail from fields across Western Canada, get it to the port on the west coast of Hudson Bay and load it on Panamax-class tankers.
The idea of building a deep-water port on Hudson Bay began in the 19th century. It was conceived as a great nation-building enterprise, a more direct route to Europe, and a strategic gateway, giving Canada an indisputable claim to the Arctic. The rail line from The Pas took six years to build, cutting through the forest and over the muskeg. The first grain shipment left in 1931. In 1997, the Liberal government of Jean Chrétien sold the railroad and port to Omnitrax, based out of Denver. The port soon saw record volumes of exports being shipped to Europe, the Middle East, and even Africa. Then Stephen Harper's Conservatives ended the Wheat Board monopoly, and farmers could sell their grain to whomever they chose. They chose companies shipping out of Thunder Bay or Vancouver. So the ships stopped coming, and in July, Omnitrax announced it was closing the port and ending its rail freight service, too.
At least ships are in safe hands once they arrive at the Port of Churchill. The George Kidd and the larger H. M. Wilson are the two tugboats that assist the oceangoing vessels in docking.
Marking its most successful season, navigation closed Thursday out of Churchill, Manitoba's northern seaport. The Brandon and the Ashworth, with cargoes for European points, sailed yesterday, and no other boats are scheduled to dock here between now and October 10, official date for the close of navigation.
Discussions are quietly underway between Calgary's oil community, Canada's only Arctic seaport, railway companies, and refiners on the East Coast and the Gulf Coast, as well as in Europe, to collect unrefined oil by rail from fields across Western Canada, get it to the port on the west coast of Hudson Bay and load it on Panamax-class tankers.
Federal Rhine was the first ship this year and it ended up being the earliest arrival of any commercial vessel at the port on July 11th.
At least ships are in safe hands once they arrive at the Port of Churchill. The George Kidd and the larger H. M. Wilson are the two tugboats that assist the oceangoing vessels in docking.
Man, too, has intermittently found the rocky, wind-blasted bit of coast a fit place to settle: The Inuit stayed here in prehistory, European explorers in the early 17th Century, and the Hudson's Bay Co. a hundred years after that. The railroad reached the area in the 1930s to supply a grain port;
Federal Rhine was the first ship this year and it ended up being the earliest arrival of any commercial vessel at the port on July 11th.
