Historic Manitoba Trade Alliance Forms to Strengthen Inland, Air and Arctic Corridors
A groundbreaking new trade partnership has been established in Manitoba, bringing together three of the province's most critical transportation assets under a unified strategic vision. The Ports Manitoba Project represents a first-of-its-kind collaboration between Arctic Gateway Group, Winnipeg Airports Authority, and CentrePort Canada, supported by both federal and provincial governments.
Unprecedented Collaboration for Enhanced Trade Networks
On January 20, 2026, officials from Prairies Economic Development Canada and the Province of Manitoba joined representatives from the three partner organizations to sign a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding. This agreement aims to significantly strengthen Manitoba's trade infrastructure while diversifying Canadian trade routes and improving business access to international markets.
The partnership strategically combines three distinct but complementary transportation assets:
- The Port of Churchill and Hudson Bay Railway, owned by 41 northern and Indigenous communities through Arctic Gateway Group
- CentrePort Canada, recognized as one of North America's largest trimodal inland ports and Foreign Trade Zones
- Winnipeg Airports Authority, operating a major Canadian international cargo airport with year-round capabilities
Building an Integrated Supply Chain Ecosystem
Under this innovative partnership, the organizations commit to developing a fully integrated and resilient supply chain system designed to move goods and people more efficiently across multiple transportation modes. The collaboration emphasizes several key objectives including expanding access to international markets, increasing overall trade capacity, attracting foreign investment, and leveraging Manitoba's strategic central location combined with maritime access through Hudson Bay.
Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, emphasized the national significance of this initiative. "Building one Canadian economy means working with key partners to strengthen the trade corridors that bring Prairie products to domestic and global markets," she stated. "This initiative advances that work and builds on our government's recent investments in Arctic Gateway Group, the Port of Churchill and CentrePort which have improved supply-chain efficiency, reduced barriers to interprovincial trade, and advanced trade diversification."
Strategic Positioning for Global Trade Leadership
Jamie Moses, Minister of Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation for the Province of Manitoba, highlighted the province's strategic advantages. "Manitoba sits at the centre of the country and now we're building our place at the centre of trade," he explained. "With partnerships like this — and initiatives like the Manitoba Crown-Indigenous Corporation — we're working alongside our transportation sector partners and Indigenous nations to make sure major projects deliver real benefits for Manitobans. That's how we create jobs, grow the economy, and strengthen Manitoba's role in global trade."
Chris Avery, President & CEO of Arctic Gateway Group, emphasized the transformative potential of this collaboration. "Canada needs new routes to global markets, and Manitoba is primed to step up and deliver," he noted. "By bringing together the Port of Churchill, Winnipeg's international airport, and CentrePort, we're aligning Canada's Arctic Trade Corridor with its largest inland port and its premier cargo airport to build something far greater than the sum of its parts."
Synergistic Infrastructure Integration
The partnership creates a powerful synergy between Arctic Gateway Group's northern transportation network, which includes Canada's only rail-connected deep-water Arctic port, and the complementary capabilities of the other partners. This strategic linkage combines year-round air cargo capabilities from Winnipeg Airports Authority with CentrePort's extensive rail, road, and industrial land infrastructure.
This comprehensive approach to transportation integration positions Manitoba as a critical hub in North American trade networks while creating new opportunities for economic growth and international commerce. The Ports Manitoba Project represents a forward-thinking model of public-private partnership that could serve as a blueprint for similar initiatives across Canada.
