OTTAWA – Plans to expand the Port of Churchill in northern Manitoba and boost shipping through the Arctic have attracted interest from a major energy company, Premier Wab Kinew said Thursday. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew speaks with reporters before the First Ministers Meeting in Ottawa, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. I’m giving you guys a solution to their current impasse,” Kinew told reporters. The long rail line to the town of about 900 residents passes through remote terrain and needs upgrading. He was supportive of that.”The Manitoba government announced $51 million last year for improvements to the rail line and a new critical-minerals storage facility at the port.