Minister of Transport announces investments to support Canada's supply chain, improve rail safety and strengthen rail corridors

WINNIPEG, MB, July 13, 2022 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to addressing climate change, improving Canada's railways, and strengthening trade corridors, which support our supply chains, help grow our economy, and create good, middle-class jobs.

Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, announced $4.4 million in funding under the National Trade Corridors Fund for a study to understand the current and future conditions of permafrost along the Hudson Bay Railway corridor, a vital rail link for people and cargo in Churchill, Manitoba. The study will be undertaken by the University of Calgary and will identify potential mitigation strategies and tools related to permafrost hazards. The results of this study will be used to develop strategies to ensure the safety and resiliency of the Hudson Bay Railway corridor.

In addition to this funding, Minister Alghabra has also announced that the Government of Canada is providing over $700,000 to fund 10 projects in Manitoba under the Rail Safety Improvement Program. Through this program, Transport Canada is continuously working to support infrastructure, technology, and research projects that improve railway safety and contribute to economic growth.

Through initiatives such as the National Trade Corridors Fund and the Rail Safety Improvement Program, the Government of Canada is investing in well-functioning trade corridors to help Canadians compete in key global markets, trade more efficiently with international partners, and keep Canadian supply chains competitive. It represents a long-term commitment by the Government to work with partners on strategic infrastructure projects to address transportation bottlenecks, vulnerabilities, and congestion along Canada's trade corridors.

Quotes

"Canada's rail network is crucial to our supply chain. Through the National Trade Corridors Fund and Rail Safety Improvement Program funding, we are addressing the impacts of climate change and improving the safety and resiliency of Manitoba's rail network, thereby strengthening Canada's trade corridors."

The Honourable Omar Alghabra
Minister of Transport

"The Hudson Bay Railway corridor is a critical transportation, supply, and tourism link for communities along the route, connecting Manitoba from North to South. It also strengthens local economies by connecting the Port of Churchill to producers across the Prairies, supplying the world with Canada's agricultural products and other goods. This funding will help address the hazards and impacts of climate change along the railway, keeping Indigenous and northern communities in Manitoba connected and safe."

The Honourable Daniel Vandal
Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister for PrairiesCan, and Minister for CanNor

"The Hudson Bay Railway is a vital piece of transportation infrastructure for northern Manitoba and Churchill. This announcement is about investing in our security and will contribute to the future economic prosperity of this important transportation corridor. Northern communities need a safe and reliable rail line and it lays the foundation for good jobs and growth in Western Canada."

The Honourable Jim Carr
Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South Centre

Quick Facts

• The National Trade Corridors Fund is a competitive, merit-based program designed to help infrastructure owners and users invest in the critical transportation assets that support economic activity in Canada.
• Under this program, a total of $4.6 billion over 11 years (2017-2028) has been allocated, including over $1 billion in dedicated funding to address the unique and urgent transportation needs in Canada's Arctic and North.
• Budget 2022 provided $450 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to support supply chain projects through the National Trade Corridors Fund, which will help ease the movement of goods across Canada's transportation networks.
• The Rail Safety Improvement Program funds projects and initiatives that contribute to increasing safety at grade crossings and along rail lines and increase public confidence in Canada's rail system.
• Since the inception of the Rail Safety Improvement Program in 2018, the program has provided nearly $9 million to enhance rail safety in Manitoba.
• This year, the funding will go towards 120 grade-crossing improvements, five crossing infrastructure projects, 10 grade crossing closures and 12 technology and research projects across the country.

Related Product

National Trade Corridors Fund Backgrounder
Rail Safety Improvement Program

Associated Links

Investing in Canada Plan

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SOURCE Transport Canada

Laurel Lennox, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport, [email protected]; Media Relations: Transport Canada, Ottawa, 613-993-0055, [email protected]