The Port of Churchill is loading its first grain cargo for export since 2020, marking a significant step in the revival of the northern Manitoba port as a gateway for Prairie farmers.
About 30,000 tonnes of Canadian durum wheat supplied by Saskatchewan-based AGT Foods is being loaded at Churchill for shipment to customers in Europe, port operator Arctic Gateway Group said in a release Monday. The vessel is expected to sail this week and is the first of three grain ships planned for the port this season under a new relationship between Arctic Gateway Group and AGT Foods.
“For AGT Foods, the Port of Churchill offers a compelling advantage: a shorter, efficient route connecting Western Canadian agriculture directly with customers in Europe and the Mediterranean,” said Murad Al-Katib, President and CEO of Regina-based AGT Foods and Ingredients Inc. “We are proud to be part of the return of grain exports through Churchill and to establish a relationship that will see additional shipments this season and in future years.”
The shipment adds another export option for Prairie grain producers at a time when Canada is looking to diversify trade routes and reduce reliance on traditional markets.
“At a time when the United States has fundamentally changed all of its trading relationships, we are focused on what we can control. This means building strength at home and diversifying trade, so that Canada is no longer reliant on a single trading partner,” said Rebecca Chartrand, Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs, and Minister responsible for CanNor, Government of Canada.
Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn called the return of Prairie grain shipments through Churchill an important milestone, saying the port can help producers access more customers while strengthening supply chains.
The grain movement is part of what Arctic Gateway Group describes as the most diversified shipping season in the port’s history. Another vessel is expected to load zinc concentrate and Churchill’s first-ever potash shipment, while the port is also handling northern resupply cargo bound for Nunavut.
Meanwhile, modernization work continues at both the port and Hudson Bay Railway, including wharf rehabilitation, grain-handling upgrades, railway engineering and track improvements. Arctic Gateway Group has also added an additional weekly freight train as traffic along the corridor grows.
The Hudson Bay Railway and Port of Churchill are owned by OneNorth, a partnership of 29 First Nations and 12 northern communities, and operated by Arctic Gateway Group.
