Northern development has long been Manitoba’s untapped frontier, a vast territory of promise hindered by inadequate infrastructure and challenging geography. But Premier Wab Kinew’s government appears determined to change that narrative, building on their early win with the Port of Churchill to pursue additional infrastructure projects across Manitoba’s north.
“The Churchill announcement was just the beginning,” Kinew told reporters during a visit to Thompson last week. “Northern Manitoba has been overlooked for generations. We’re taking a different approach.”
The premier’s comments come just weeks after securing a $33 million federal commitment to upgrade rail infrastructure to Churchill, Manitoba’s only Arctic seaport. That investment aims to enhance the reliability of the Hudson Bay Railway, which has struggled with washouts and service disruptions since its construction in the 1920s.
For residents of northern communities, these infrastructure pledges represent more than economic development—they’re about basic connectivity to the rest of Canada. Many northern communities still rely on winter roads that are becoming increasingly unreliable due to climate change.
“When southern Manitobans talk about infrastructure, they mean better highways. When we talk about it up north, we’re often talking about our only road in or out,” explains Sheila North, former Grand Chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, representing northern First Nations. “These aren’t luxury projects. They’re lifelines.”
The Kinew government appears to be eyeing three major northern projects beyond the Churchill port upgrades: all-weather road extensions to remote communities, hydroelectric transmission expansion, and digital infrastructure improvements.
According to provincial officials, engineering assessments are underway for extending all-weather roads to four remote communities currently accessible only by winter road or air. This would mark the first major expansion of Manitoba’s northern road network in over a decade.
“If we’re serious about reconciliation, we can’t have communities where milk costs $15 a gallon because everything has to be flown in,” Kinew stated during a recent CBC Radio interview. “Infrastructure is reconciliation in action.”
Manitoba Hydro is also reviewing proposals to expand transmission capacity to northern communities still dependent on diesel generation. Documents obtained through freedom of information requests show preliminary plans for connecting at least two remote communities to the provincial grid within the next five years.
The northern strategy reflects both political and practical realities. Kinew’s NDP secured strong support in northern ridings during the 2023 election that brought them to power, creating expectations for tangible investments in the region.
But there’s also compelling economic logic behind the northern focus. The Conference Board of Canada estimates that northern Manitoba could generate over $1.6 billion in new economic activity over the next decade if infrastructure constraints were addressed.
“Northern infrastructure isn’t charity—it’s smart economic policy,” argues Kate Rempfer of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce. “Every dollar spent connecting northern communities creates about $1.80 in economic benefits through reduced costs, new business opportunities, and improved workforce mobility.”
However, the ambitious northern agenda faces significant challenges. Provincial finances remain tight, with Manitoba running deficits since the pandemic. Climate considerations also complicate construction in permafrost regions, where changing ground conditions can threaten infrastructure stability.
Conservative opposition critic Heather Stefanson questions the government’s approach. “While we support northern development, the premier needs to be transparent about how these projects will be funded without increasing our provincial debt burden,” she said in a statement released Tuesday.
The Kinew government contends that strategic federal partnerships, like the Churchill rail funding, will be key to advancing northern projects without overextending provincial finances.
“We’re not just asking Ottawa for handouts,” Economic Development Minister Jamie Moses told the Thompson Citizen. “We’re making the case that these northern corridors are national assets that strengthen Canada’s Arctic sovereignty and resource economy.”
For northern residents who have heard development promises before, the question is whether this government’s commitment will translate into bulldozers and construction crews on the ground.
Charlie Beardy, a longtime resident of Shamattawa First Nation, remains cautiously optimistic. “Every government says they care about the north, but the road to my community is still just a line on some planner’s map after all these years,” he says. “I’ll believe in Kinew’s vision when I can drive to Winnipeg without waiting for the ground to freeze.”
What distinguishes Kinew’s approach from previous governments is the framing of northern infrastructure as central to Manitoba’s economic future rather than as peripheral regional development. Officials point to climate change opening new Arctic shipping routes through Churchill and growing international demand for Manitoba’s mineral resources as key opportunities that require infrastructure investment.
“When we look at Manitoba’s competitive advantages in the next 25 years, many of them are in the north,” Kinew emphasized in his recent economic address to the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. “But we can only capitalize on those advantages if people and goods can move efficiently.”
As winter sets in across Manitoba’s north, bringing with it the seasonal ice roads that many communities depend on, the clock is already ticking on Kinew’s northern ambitions. Climate scientists predict that within 15 years, many winter roads may no longer be reliable for heavy transport—creating urgency for permanent infrastructure solutions.
For a premier still in his first year in office, the northern strategy represents both significant opportunity and substantial risk. Success could transform Manitoba’s economic geography. Failure would reinforce decades of skepticism among northern residents who have seen promising infrastructure plans come and go with each change in government.
