Creating Opportunities Consultations
Consultation Notes
Churchill, Manitoba –
March 17, 2006
The following notes represent a consolidated record of all
group discussions held in Churchill on March 17, 2006. The final Creating
Opportunities report reflects the input received at this and other
consultations held throughout Manitoba.
OPPORTUNITIES
A number of value-added opportunities exist in
Manitoba.
What opportunities exist for value-added business in this area?
-
Manufacturing of pre-fabricated housing, for export to other
communities in northern Manitoba and Nunavut.
-
Wind power generation
-
Promotion of the community’s military, fur trade and indigenous
history to attract tourists.
-
Promotion of the port:
-
For increased importing and exporting.
-
In development of an arctic trade bridge, connecting
Murmansk, Russia to Monterrey, Mexico via Churchill.
-
For transportation of liquefied natural gas and fertilizer.
-
As a key component of the federal Northern Sovereignty Plan.
-
Expansion of the tourism industry, with the community offering:
-
A destination for cruiseships.
-
Food and supplies to tourists.
-
Locally based tour operators
-
Crafts and retail services
-
Community packaging – “Cruise the Bay” or unique wildlife
(polar bears, whales, muskox, char).
-
The National Park
-
Art and culture
-
Four season destination
-
Viewing the Northern Lights
-
An Eskimo museum
-
Promotion of trade and tourism with sister community of Orkney.
-
Eco-Tourism offering the attraction of a green community,
non-timber forest products, natural medicines, homeopathy and
seaweed (harvesting, processing and marketing).
-
Green industries, such as collection, transfer and processing
of recyclable materials.
-
Youth initiatives, promoting arts and crafts, entrepreneurship,
awareness of opportunities and work experience.
-
Resupply of Northern communities, with opportunities for food
processing and the distribution of food, minerals (gas and oil) and
other resources.
-
Development of the community’s role as a transportation hub,
including the deep sea port, rail connection to Thompson and The
Pas, airport capable of landing international and military aircraft.
-
Research facilities for the space port (satellite deployment),
Arctic Net, climate research and Churchill Northern Research,
including the resupply of research vessels and a communication hub.
-
Vocation centre to support training and
apprenticeships for trades.
-
Northern Community Partnerships, including Kivalliz/Arviat and
the Churchill Health Task Force.
What is preventing the area from taking advantage of these
opportunities?
-
Container handling facilities are in need of repair, upgrade or
replacement.
-
Regulations and monopolies that restrict the use of rail lines,
and a lack of legislation for protection of short rail lines.
-
Need for improved transportation infrastructure to deliver
freight to port, and cost of infrastructure development, repair and
maintenance.
-
Marketing challenges, including:
-
The need for knowledge of marketing methods,
especially via internet.
-
Reaching a target audience
-
Timing of promotions
-
Connections to external resources
-
Remoteness
-
Icebound months each winter.
-
Housing challenges, primarily caused by lack of home ownership,
leading to lack of investment, transience and diminished tax base.
-
High cost of living, due primarily to high costs of food,
housing and transportation.
|
