Manitoba intends to triple its critical-mineral production, fast-track new mining projects and send a growing share of the output — potash among it — to world markets through the Port of Churchill, the provincial government said on 15 September. Premier Wab Kinew, Finance Minister Adrien Sala and Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation Minister Jamie Moses made the announcement at the Canada Investment Summit in Toronto, where the port's expansion plan is being pitched to major investors and where Kinew announced a provincial sales-tax break on some of the capital investments a day earlier.

The Arctic port has an ambitious plan to upgrade its rail line and acquire ships able to handle ice pack, opening year-round trade, and grain returned to it this year for the first time in years. Critical-mineral production in the province has averaged about 78,742 tonnes a year over the past six years.

"After establishing a single window service to get new projects moving fast, we've heard from industry what the challenges are and we're eliminating them to make mining move faster in Manitoba," Moses said. "As we build up the Port of Churchill, we're going to ship more minerals every year out of our Arctic port." The province promises a faster environmental licensing process for advanced projects, simpler early-exploration approvals, risk-based licensing, more approval staff, clearer timelines for connecting mines to Manitoba Hydro, temporary power arrangements, and mining demand written into the next Integrated Resource Plan.

For potash, the port is already being tested as an export route. "With 20 tonnes of potash already en route from the Port of Churchill to Europe, we look forward to increasing shipments out of the Port of Churchill as we work with the Manitoba government to boost production," said Daymon Guillas, president of Potash Agri Development Corporation of Manitoba. Hudbay Minerals has shipped zinc concentrate through Churchill for years, and silica, gold and nickel projects are also being advanced.

"The Port of Churchill is this year shipping the most diverse mix of commodities in our history," said Chris Avery, president and chief executive of Arctic Gateway Group, which operates the port, citing Manitoba potash, 100,000 tonnes of grain, Arctic supply shipments to Nunavut and a third year of Hudbay zinc exports from Snow Lake to Europe. Kinew is meeting international investors in Toronto to promote mining, infrastructure and agriculture projects the province values at more than $85 billion.

Source: Manitoba Co-operator