Leaders in Churchill worried businesses won’t survive rail closure

People in Churchill continue to wonder when the rail line to the remote town will be repaired.

OmniTrax owns the line, and has said it could be spring before the damage is fixed. Others have disputed that claim, saying it would be fixed by fall.

Until that happens, goods have to be flown in, so costs have risen exponentially.

“My food for my 39 sled dogs was stuck in Winnipeg.Usually on the train, it costs $700 to get my dog food here,” David Daley, president of the Churchill Chamber of Commerce and owner of Wapusk Adventures, said. “I was down to five bags so I had to fly it in, which cost about $4,500.”

Daley is worried that businesses will go under if the rail line isn’t fixed soon. He is also calling on OmniTrax and both the federal and provincial governments to get to work on fixing the damage.

READ MORE: Mayor of Churchill says rail line repairs taking too long

“They’re just sitting on their hands, waiting to see what’s going to happen, and we all suffer. They need to get boots on the ground, they need to start repairing the line as they go along. Inaction is not doing anyone in this province any favours.”

Daley wanted to reiterate that this is not just a Churchill issue. The town is a port for goods to be sent by ship to a number of Nunavut communities, and businesses in Winnipeg are also feeling the pinch.

READ MORE: Photos show widespread damage on rail line to Churchill

“It is affecting Winnipeg: the cancellation of hotel rooms to make connections, attractions, meals,” Daryl Adair, owner of Rail Travel tours, explained. “There are all sorts of travellers that will have to look at other places with the cancellation of the rail line. This is now affecting Winnipeg, big time.”

Adair has had to refund thousands of dollars to customers because trips up north have been cancelled.