Manitoba must act now to develop its northern ports

The window to turn Manitoba’s northern coast into a year-round shipping hub is closing fast

Rising trade tensions with the United States have handed Manitoba a second chance to build out its northern ports, and with them, a lasting role in global trade. But unless the province acts swiftly and boldly, the opportunity will slip away.

Churchill, a remote town on the western shore of Hudson Bay, is home to Canada’s only deepwater Arctic port. Premier Wab Kinew has rightly called it a strategic asset for Canadian sovereignty. But symbolism alone won’t move cargo or create jobs. Churchill needs to operate as a reliable, year-round link in global supply chains if it’s to matter on the world stage.

The problem is that Churchill is currently seasonal: cut off for much of the year. That limitation alone undercuts its potential as a global trade link. A port that shuts down in winter can’t anchor a serious trade strategy.

Yet the opportunity is real. Manitoba exports billions in agricultural, mineral and manufactured goods, most of it flowing south. With growing uncertainty over U.S. trade policy, including tariffs and Buy American provisions, any disruption to Canada’s largest trading relationship hits the province hard. Developing northern trade routes isn’t just smart: it’s an economic necessity.

Churchill has rail access, growing interest from industry and a strategic location. Environmental shifts are also rewriting the map. As Arctic sea ice retreats due to climate change, waters once impassable most of the year are opening up to global shipping. That’s not speculation; it’s already happening.

Zinc concentrate is moving through Churchill. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has floated the idea of shipping oil through the port. The Arctic Gateway Group is actively building momentum. These early successes show what’s possible. But the infrastructure is aging, and the vision is unfulfilled.

Governments have begun to invest in Churchill and its rail line, but they must finish the job. That means building the capacity for full-season operation, attracting private capital and showing the world that Churchill is open for business: every year, every season. Ottawa also has a role to play in reinforcing sovereignty by maintaining a military and logistical presence in the North.

At the same time, Manitoba should keep an open mind about broader possibilities.

The Indigenous-led Neestanan utility corridor, supported by several Prairie First Nations and Métis communities, proposes a new trade and energy route stretching from Alberta across northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba to a potential year-round port at Port Nelson, located on the southwestern coast of Hudson Bay. A century ago, before Churchill was selected, Ottawa originally backed Port Nelson. But the site was abandoned in the early 1900s due to silt accumulation and construction challenges.

With modern engineering, climate shifts and Indigenous leadership, what wasn’t feasible in 1910 may now be not only possible, but necessary.

Neestanan is more than an infrastructure blueprint. It’s a pathway to economic reconciliation. It would embed Indigenous communities as leaders in Canada’s northern economic future.

Churchill’s original mission was to export Prairie grain. Its future could involve critical minerals, energy, manufactured goods and global shipping. But Manitoba must act before others do.

This isn’t just about provincial ambition. It’s about national strategy. Northern ports are no longer footnotes; they’re front lines in Canada’s economic and geopolitical future.

This is Manitoba’s moment. The clock is ticking.