Common Crane Makes Rare Appearance in Churchill

by | Jun 11, 2015 | Churchill Photography

This photograph by Parcs Canada is an amazing discovery of a common crane. The bird is rarely seen in North America and Churchill has been lucky enough to be the landing spot for this particular crane. Mixed in with a group of sandhill cranes, this common crane seems to be on the lam from somewhere. The cranes were spotted at the grain ponds by the Port of Churchill. Birdwatchers are keeping eyes open for other rare bird species in Churchill!

common crane in Churchill

Common crane spotted in Churchill mixed in with sandhill cranes. Parcs Canada photo.

Churchill “Oil” Will Remain South

by | Jan 21, 2015 | Churchill News

Port of Churchill in Churchill, Manitoba.

Port of Churchill in the siege of winter. Steve Selden photo.

With the Port of Churchill processing over 600,000 tonnes of grain last year, the stability of the industry in Churchill has stabilized.

This has alleviated the need to a degree for Omnitrax Canada, owner of the port and Hudson Bay rail line, to continue to press for crude oil shipment by rail to Churchill and subsequent shipping through the port and Hudson Bay.

Environmental activists and farmers have praised Omnitrax for the decision to shelve shipping the oil at this time.

Eric Reder, The Wilderness Committee’s Manitoba campaign director, organized a year-long campaign including town hall meetings in Winnipeg, Thompson and Churchill and solicited over 4,000 protest letters mailed to the provincial and federal governments. The campaign was aimed at raising awareness thus facilitating pressure for the authorities to intervene and prevent Omnitrax from continuing the venture into transporting and shipping oil.

From the start, anyone familiar with the rail-line north from The Pas, knows of the calamity of grain – car derailments over the past decade. It seems irresponsible  for any company failing to address those issues first then research and evaluate an emergency recovery plan for derailment of oil cars as well as shipping such a commodity on the pristine Hudson Bay.

“What we were asking of Omnitrax was to find any other product to ship other than crude oil, because every other product than this specific one is easier to clean up,” Reder said. “People from around the world voiced their objection… we are all relieved.”

Churchill Democratic Member of Parliment (MP) Niki Ashton had a fervent opinion on the issue. “Omnitrax has a lead role to play and I hope they continue to do that and support and respect the livelihoods of northerners”, stated Ashton.

“People didn’t feel safe, not only for the environmental conditions but because the emergency measures aren’t in place at all. Northerners and First Nations leaders spoke out loud and clear… although Omnitrax may not acknowledge that overtly.”

The Wilderness Committee also presented strong anti-shipping points to engaged people and the government. For some of the remote communities along the rail line, this single railway is their only access to the outside world – and to each other. How can oil spill response equipment be transported into these communities, when the only rail line has an accident on it? How do you evacuate people when there is no road into these communities? How do we safeguard the population, the wildlife, and the lands and waters that provide for them, when the only access – the rail line – is blocked by a train derailment?

The Port of Churchill handled more than 600,000 tonnes of grain last year.

Port of Churchill with grain ships dockside. Port of Churchill photo.

Suspending crude-oil shipments to Churchill indefinitely was a logical business decision considering the record-breaking success of grain shipments in recent years.

“Having reviewed all of our opportunities and the things we’d like to do, we decided it wasn’t necessary or in our best interests to pursue shipping oil any further,” Stated Omnitrax Canada President Merv Tweed.  “I’m convinced that within the next couple of years we’ll hit the million-tonne mark.

Grain ship awaits docking at the port of Churchill.

Grain vessel awaits docking at the Port of Churchill. Steve Selden photo.

However, the grain market has fluctuated this last decade leading to the break-up of the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly with the Port of Churchill. With this history  there’s no telling whether soaring grain shipment tonnage will permanently quell Omnitrax’s long term aspirations to ship crude oil through the Port of Churchill. News releases from the company have framed the current status as “suspended”.

Churchill Gasoline Shortage Resolved

by | Jan 14, 2015 | Churchill News

The first winter I spent on Cape Cod the Cumberland Farms convenience store ran out of milk in the middle of a two day snowstorm. I was in awe that a store in a developed, though somewhat remote, area could run out of such a basic life staple. Churchill, a very remote location by most standards, had a slightly bigger problem …no gasoline for three days.

A look outside the Churchill Northern Studies Center. Donna Kelber photo.

A look outside the Churchill Northern Studies Center. Donna Kelber photo.

Details of the “shortage” are somewhat sketchy. At what was first construed as a gas shortage was later confirmed by Mayor Mike Spence as a “interruption in service” between town and the 50 million liter tank farm which is only seven kilometers outside of town adjacent to the Port of Churchill. Both facilities are owned by Omnitrax company out of Denver, CO.

Taxi’s were forced to shut down and town vehicles were being garaged and saved for only emergency usage. The town’s only gas station remained closed for the three days.

Petrol service has since been restored and Mayor Spence has vowed that the issue won’t arise again. He and the town are working with Omnitrax to insure service workers will be available to transport fuel from the storage tanks to the gas station.

Tank farm and Port of Churchill, Manitoba

Port of Churchill with four fuel tanks in the background.

In a location where weather conditions are extreme on a fairly regular basis, the inability to travel across town to the grocery store, work or hospital becomes vital. Even though Churchill is tiny compared to other towns in the world, the winter conditions make a short 10 minute walk across town feel like traveling cross-country.

Keeping out of the political side of this mishap, it serves as an example of how precious fuel resources in the world are and how we all should treat them as such. Most of us do not think twice about being able to drive five minutes and fill our car’s gas tank. If we all had to experience life without fuel for three days it might serve as an excellent reminder of how valuable these resources are. Maybe reassessing trips we all make in our automobiles should be a goal for this year ahead.

Five Cool Attractions Near Churchill

by | Dec 30, 2014 | Conservation

Churchill is a funky frontier town with some unusual characters and a town center right out of the movies. The town is self-contained with just about every activity you want located in the town complex. Northern restaurants and bars line the main drag which is Kelsey Boulevard. Polar bears even saunter into town so if one is patient one doesn’t have to head out to the Churchill Wildlife management Area in a polar rover to see them.

Here are five attractions outside of Churchill proper that are worth checking out if you happen to visit the northern village.

1. Ithaca Shipwreck: Just off the coast near Bird Cove in Churchill, this old freighter is a classic landmark of the region.

2. Cape Merry: This iconic overlook on the precambrian sheild above the Churchill River and Hudson Bay is a classic starting point for any Adventure group arriving in Churchill. One can become geographically centered here and get a feel for the immensity of the Hudson Bay.

A group of Natural Habitat travelers at the battery outpost on Cape Merry.

Natural Habitat group at the Cape Merry battery. Karen Walker photo.

3. Port of Churchill: A major economic stalwart of the town, this massive grain storage and port facility facilitates the cargo train as well as enormous cargo ships transporting grain products across the oceans via waterways accessible to the the Hudson Bay.

Port of Churchill,Manitoba.

Grain port of Churchill.Steve Selden photo.

4. Observation tower at Goose Creek: In the summer this spot is a great place to observe various marsh birds and ducks. You also can get a distant view of an annual osprey nest as well as a clear vista about eight kilometers up the Churchill River.  A quiet respite with amazing sky and landscape views.

Goose creek observation tower at the marina in Churchill, Manitoba.

Observation tower at Goose Creek marina.

5. Anglican Church: If you like the intimate atmosphere of a quaint church service, this is the place. If you also want to see a national treasure you can do that as well. The Lady Franklin stained glass window is displayed to the right of the alter. This grand piece of art was given by Sir John Franklin’s wife, Jane, in appreciation of all the search efforts put forth to find her husband and their lost Arctic expedition of  1845.

Snowy Churchill and the Anglican church on the Hudson Bay.

Anglican church in Churchill rests on the edge of the Hudson Bay.

Lady Franklin stained glass window in Churchill,MB.

Close – up of the Lady Franklin stained glass window Photo Karen Walker

 

Port of Churchill strategic for Canada

by | Feb 5, 2014 | Churchill News

 

The only Arctic Seaport in Canada, Churchill, Manitoba, has struggled to find its’ identity for 35 years. That is when the military left the area and the population shrunk from nearly 5,000 to under a 1,000 people.

Port of Churchill,MB

The Port of Churchill, MB. Photo: Steve Selden

Sure, the ecotourism industry bloomed after that leading to the incredible numbers of travelers visiting Churchill today, seeking to see polar bears, but that really only happens for a seven week period in October and November. The Summer beluga whale trips and Winter northern lights excursions bring more people to the frontier town on the Hudson Bay but not in any dramatic fashion that will propel Churchill to become more than what it has been for nearly half a century….sleepy…for most of the year.

Omnitrax Inc., owner of the port of Churchill and the Hudson Bay rail line is trying to change all that by increasing opportunities to ship more diversified products from the port to other nations. Manitoba as well as Ottawa are behind this new initiative and two years ago established a task force to inquire into new economic opportunities.

Wheat and grain as well as other farming products have been the main staples to cross the Bay and oceans to far away lands to date. However, with the longer ice-free season, new products as well as new destinations are being sought.

The task force came up with some of the same recommendations as previous reports, but they are updated and expanded for current conditions, including a restructured grain industry, expanding resource development and climate change that could lead to much higher volumes in Arctic shipping and navigation.

Aside from similar findings from years past, the current report from the commission is updated in a sense to account for a newly structured grain shipping system and expansion of resource development such as gems and metals around the Churchill region.

Polar bear checking out a polar rover in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area.

Polar bear checking out a polar rover in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area.

U.S. and Canadian producers as well as Omnitrax are pushing for moving light sweet crude by rail to Churchill and then returning south with a cargo of bitumen diluents for Alberta’s oil sands. Though Manitoba is officially opposed, citing the environmental risk, the task force endorses this idea. The northern rail lines travel over permafrost and numerous grain -train derailments over the past years have spawned major concern over the safety of the environment with this process. Aside from that issue are the water-borne issues themselves. Low tide is risky for loading a large amount of crude oil into tankers in the port and then heading out into the Bay and through the Hudson Straits to the north. Environmental proponents fear any disaster on the water would permanently harm the area’s fragile ecosystem and wildlife. That could profoundly jeopardize the tourism dollars that currently flow into the region. The risk is high.

Hudson Bay ice edge.

Edge of the Hudson Bay floe ice. Photo Rhonda Reid.

With renewed interest in developing the North through expanding grain shipments, as well as newer resource exports like potash, minerals, liquefied natural gas, oil and bitumen, Churchill is poised for an economic explosion. Of all these possibilities oil has the most resistence from the public. There really is no room for error and people are scared about this. Hopes are high for these other resources to take hold and provide an economic surge that will build a strong base for the port to grow from.

Last year was a banner year for grain shipment from the port, breaking records even, but Omnitrax, Manitoba and Canada are all looking ahead to the future for even more.

 

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