Photo: flickr/Roy Luck

Omnitrax Canada announced on Aug. 15 that they would no longer pursue plans to ship crude oil across its northern rail line to the port of Churchill on Hudson Bay. The announcement came after another derailment in northern Manitoba. Omnitrax Canada president Merv Tweed said the company is choosing to focus on the grain market instead.

“Northern Manitobans and Wilderness Committee members are ecstatic today, as this risky oil-by-rail plan has been shelved,” said Eric Reder, Manitoba Campaign Director for the Wilderness Committee.

Numerous Manitobans signed letters to their federal and provincial governments opposing the plans. The plans have been of great concern to environmentalists and Indigenous groups. Reder added, “People from around the world voiced their objection… We are all relieved.” 

“Every time we stop the installation of new fossil fuel infrastructure,” Reder said, “We get closer to a civilization that releases less greenhouse gasses, and get closer to stabilizing our climate.” 

The Wilderness Committee said it would continue to pursue legislation that bans the future shipment of crude oil through northern Manitoba and Hudson Bay.

Miriam Katawazi is a fourth-year journalism and human rights student at Carleton University and rabble’s news intern. She has a strong passion for human rights and social justice in Canada and across the world. Her writing focuses on health, labour, education and human rights beats. 

Miriam Katawazi

Miriam Katawazi

Miriam Katawazi is an Afghan-Canadian journalist and currently the Morning Editor at rabble.ca. Since graduating from Carleton University with a journalism and human rights degree, she’s worked...

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Meagan Perry

Meagan Perry began her work in media at the age of 17, broadcasting at her high school’s lunchhour intercom radio station. She then moved on to a decade in community radio, working as news director...