NDP ponders how to speed up Churchill's railway repair

OTTAWA – Frightened Omnitrax will delay repairs along the Churchill Railway in the fall, the provincial NDP is considering the possibility of asking a court to compel Omnitrax to make repairs before the winter.

Tuesday was the deadline for the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) for the Omnitrax subsidiary, the Hudson Bay Railway Company (HBRC), to begin repairs last month after the filing of the A formal complaint by the provincial NDP.

But there is still no groundbreaking, and Omnitrax did just launch Aecom 's RFP last Friday. Meanwhile, Omnitrax suggests that it can not afford repairs – despite the fact that the regulator says its obligation to start immediate repairs does not change according to its finances.

NDP leader Wab Kinew said that he was trying to avoid the regulator's decision ending up in a long process of appeal, as this could delay repairs until next year.

"We want to make sure that the people of Churchill and other communities have done well, so we are carefully considering the next step," Kinew said in an interview Wednesday.

In a statement issued at lunchtime on Tuesday, Omnitrax stated that its 10 months of discussions with Ottawa about the transfer of the port and railway to local owners had "failed." He also hinted that he might not finish the repairs if he can not sell the line.

"We are not able to finance all of HBR's repairs in the absence of a sales contract," reads the press release.

This contradicts the CTA order, which says that it is up to HBRC to repair the line, find a buyer, or start a formal continuation process, which would require Ottawa to find a buyer and to nationalize it if no one can be found. "A company that does not avail itself of this option has permanent obligations," said the regulator.

On Wednesday, the CTA stated that it could file its decisions with the Federal Court as well as some superior courts when they are not complied with. If they are still not respected, this may result in a contempt conviction. "Agency staff is monitoring the situation to badess compliance with the order," spokeswoman Trinh Phan wrote.

Kinew said that the NPD will ask CTA if it can issue another decision that specifies that Omnitrax must obtain ongoing repairs. The party could also ask the Federal Court for an order that Omnitrax get the repairs immediately.

Otherwise, the company may seek leave to appeal the decision next Friday, which could take two months in the Federal Court until it actually hears that appeal. This could delay any repairs until next year, as the region usually freezes in November. Kinew said that he would ask the Pallister government to be part of the lawsuit, should that happen.

"We are trying to figure out what we can do to create the best chance of settling the rail line this year," he said, adding that the discussions on the transfer suggest the need for "process along." "

The Omnitrax Repair Plan remains unclear as it limits access to its tender call documents – which would reveal the most recent costing, deadlines badessment. and damages – selecting railway contractors.

Niki Ashton, MP for the region, also visited the city to hear residents on Tuesday, and on Wednesday told reporters in Winnipeg that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was " use "common sense" and "backbone" when visiting Churchill himself.

"We heard," Why does the Prime Minister spend so much time traveling around the world? She said the "empty rhetoric" of Ottawa was causing "anger, frustration and deep disappointment," Ashton told reporters at the Via Rail Union station in downtown Winnipeg [19659044]. Patricia Bovey said the city seemed resilient during her visit this week: "The collective presence of this community is inspiring; "Determination in adversity is magnetic," she said.

Bovey said the city was focused on its long-term viability and that a Tuesday's summit on the Coast Guard icebreaker Amundsen was "very constructive." She said it affected climate change, sovereignty, Aboriginal rights and Winnipeg businesses delivering to Nunavut.

"We are on the cusp of very important changes and opportunities," she said. She also wonders how the officials managed to ship a propane cargo that seems to have failed.

Last week, city officials said that the province's 2.2 million … Propane shipping coming in last October was almost exhausted and people in the area had to ration their supplies up to # Another shipment arrived in mid-July, despite a decline in the city's population and fewer urists during the Northern Lights season.

"One can only ask," How did this happen on Earth? "It was over 4 (C) on Monday when we were on the water, it's not hot," Bovey said.

The provincial government did not explain the shortfall last week, citing the media outage for St. Boniface's by-election. "I certainly understand an election breakdown, and I understand operational budgets and everything – but it's an emergency," Bovey said.

Ashton had harsher words, saying the locals feared their city would disappear.

"The people of Churchill have enough, enough Omnitrax games, enough to feel hijacked – and that's a word I've repeated many times," he said. she said.

The local school lost 50 students this year, and another 20 when Omnitrax laid off port workers in 2016. Ashton said retirees are now leaving the city, unable to live on fixed incomes with costs growing food.

Transport Minister Marc Garneau acknowledged the residents' frustration.

"I can understand them, because we are entering the active part of the construction season, so we are very conscious of it," he told Free Press 39, an unrelated press conference. "The government is very committed to this, because of our commitment to the people of Churchill and northern Manitoba."

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