Increasing trade through the Arctic Trade Corridor
The Arctic Gateway Group (AGG) is an Indigenous and community owned company with offices strategically located in The Pas, Manitoba – a town otherwise known as ‘The Gateway to the North’. AGG owns and operates two major pieces of infrastructure:
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- The Port of Churchill, which is Canada’s only Arctic deepwater seaport serviced by rail. The port has played an instrumental role in the development of Canada’s North since 1931. For several years, its primary export has been grain, however as surrounding communities grow and economic activity increases, the port is uniquely positioned to expand its services, eliminating time-consuming and costly transportation through the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway.
- The Hudson Bay Railway, which runs 1,009 kilometres through northern Manitoba and serves communities from The Pas to Churchill, including multiple remote First Nations. The railway offers hauling services and transports automobiles, containers, construction materials, heavy equipment, critical minerals, wheat and other grain products, perishables, hazardous materials and more.
The Port of Churchill and Hudson Bay Railway contribute to the Arctic Trade Corridor, a gateway that facilitates the trade of Canada’s resources from the North through the Arctic to global markets. When AGG took ownership of the Port of Churchill and Hudson Bay Railway, the system was in a state of neglect and disrepair. The group quickly initiated a program of work to upgrade its assets, expand its services and increase trade.
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Quick Facts
As Canada’s only Arctic deepwater seaport serviced by rail, the Port of Churchill plays an instrumental role in the development of the country’s North.
Upgrades to the Hudson Bay Railway will enable AGG to expand its hauling capabilities and better service Manitoba’s northern communities from The Pas to Churchill.
We’re working closely with AGG to engage and increase the participation of Indigenous trades and service providers to deliver both the port and railway programs.
Deepening Indigenous engagement
AGG contracted our project management and construction solutions teams to support the delivery of this multi-year project. Given the large scale of the program, our teams are working closely with AGG to develop a strategic plan that will help the organization achieve its long-term goals.
AGG’s primary focus for the Hudson Bay Railway Corporation is to improve its railway line to increase the cars’ weight capacity and the speed they can travel. Our project managers developed a multi-year capital plan and detailed project plan, before engaging our construction solutions team to support the development and execution of project procurements.
As an Indigenous owned and operated company, AGG prioritizes Indigenous partnership and participation in its projects. The group challenged our project management team to find new ways to engage member communities beyond simply embedding Indigenous inclusion criteria into its Requests for Proposals (RFPs). To gain a stronger understanding of the capacity, services and capabilities of surrounding Indigenous communities, our team proposed holding a joint town hall to review upcoming opportunities with prospective providers and then issuing expressions of interest (EOIs) for those upcoming projects. The goal is to ensure that Indigenous trades and material and service providers have a strong opportunity to work and be part of the overall program delivery.
With a variety of public funding sources contributing to the project, there is a need for funds to be spent within specific timelines and for all accounting and procurement procedures to maintain compliance with industry standards and government policies. Our construction solutions team provides support for AGG to maintain audit compliance and reflect a high level of fiscal responsibility for all major capital procurement items needed to maintain operations.
AGG is also using this procurement strategy to upgrade the Port of Churchill, focusing on modern, sustainable infrastructure, overall port safety and enhancements to support increased trade.
Both projects come with unique challenges, including working in a unique northern region with limitations due to weather conditions, accessibility and short work seasons. Additionally, since port and rail operations are connected, we are carefully timing work on each project, as upgrades to one transit system affects the other. To address these challenges and support the delivery of AGG’s program, our teams are drawing on the specialized rail and port expertise of Colliers Project Leaders colleagues from across Canada.
AGG is currently making progress toward upgrading its rail and port infrastructure. Construction to replace one of its rail bridges is in progress, while interim repairs and investigations are taking place at the port. AGG’s industry and government partners share its vision for a thriving Northern Trade Corridor and our team is proud to work alongside an organization dedicated to advancing Indigenous economic reconciliation and strengthening Canadian trade.
Photography: Karen Patterson, Arctic Gateway Group
