Keewatin Railway
Encyclopedia
The Keewatin Railway Company is a First Nations
-owned rail line that operates in Northern Manitoba, between The Pas
, and Pukatawagan
. The railway company currently operates a line formerly owned by Hudson Bay Railway
, and used by Via Rail
passenger trains.
Via Rail Canada previously operated a twice-weekly passenger rail service between The Pas and Pukatawagan through an operating agreement with Hudson Bay Railway Company. This passenger service continues under a new operating agreement between Keewatin Railway Company and Via Rail Canada. This railway is the second railway fully owned by Native Canadians
, with the first being Northern Quebec
's Tshiuetin Rail Transportation
.
. This was part of the Hudson Bay Railway (HBRY) system, and Via Rail had operated trains between The Pas and Pukatawagan under an agreement with HBRY, but had suspended them from July 27 and August 2, 2005, because the Hudson Bay Railway line had become unsafe due to recent heavy rains in the area loosening the railbed.
On April 1, 2006, the Hudson Bay Railway sold the Sherridon Subdivision to the three native tribes in the area, who now own and operate the railway. The First Nations-owned railway company received $
4.9 million dollars in grants from the Government of Canada
, $1.25 million dollars from the Government of Manitoba and $500,000 from three First Nations communities (the Mathaias Colomb Indian Band, Tataskweyak Cree Nation
, and the War Lake First Nation
, who jointly own and operate the railway to this day) for the railway line purchase. The Federal Government has also given the three tribes up to $3.2 million for start-up fees and investments, which include the purchase of locomotive
s, railway equipment, transitional services, office equipment, and infrastructure work (maintenance) on the rail line. This funding comes from the Regional and Remote Passenger Rail Services Contribution Program administered by Transport Canada
.
Via Rail still operates its twice-weekly passenger trains (Numbers 290/291) through an agreement with the new company.
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
-owned rail line that operates in Northern Manitoba, between The Pas
The Pas, Manitoba
The Pas is a town in Manitoba, Canada, located in Division No. 21, Manitoba in the Northern Region, some 630 kilometres northwest of the provincial capital, Winnipeg, near the border of Saskatchewan. It is sometimes still called Paskoyac by locals as the first trading post was called Fort Paskoyac...
, and Pukatawagan
Pukatawagan, Manitoba
Pukatawagan is a town about 210 kilometres north of The Pas; it can be reached by train from Lynn Lake by a branch of the Hudson Bay Railway, a passenger service provided by Via Rail. A winter road after the lakes have frozen. The Airport, located east of town, is used by Missinippi...
. The railway company currently operates a line formerly owned by Hudson Bay Railway
Hudson Bay Railway
Hudson Bay Railway is a Canadian railway operating over of trackage in northern Manitoba.HBRY was formed in July 1997 to purchase former Canadian National Railway trackage running north from CN trackage at The Pas, MB on two branches, one to Flin Flon, MB and on to Lynn Lake, MB, the other to...
, and used by Via Rail
VIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
passenger trains.
Via Rail Canada previously operated a twice-weekly passenger rail service between The Pas and Pukatawagan through an operating agreement with Hudson Bay Railway Company. This passenger service continues under a new operating agreement between Keewatin Railway Company and Via Rail Canada. This railway is the second railway fully owned by Native Canadians
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
, with the first being Northern Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
's Tshiuetin Rail Transportation
Tshiuetin Rail Transportation
Tshiuetin Rail Transportation Inc. is a Canadian short line railway that stretches 134 miles through the wilderness of western Labrador and northeastern Quebec. It connects Emeril Junction, Labrador with the community of Schefferville, Quebec on the interprovincial boundary...
.
History
The rail line was originally the 185-mile (310 km-long) Sherridon Subdivision, between Sheritt Junction and Lynn LakeLynn Lake, Manitoba
Lynn Lake is a small town in the northwest region of Manitoba, Canada, 1,071 km from Winnipeg. The town was named after Lynn Smith, chief engineer of Sherritt Gordon Mines Ltd. There are numerous outfitters in the Lynn Lake area...
. This was part of the Hudson Bay Railway (HBRY) system, and Via Rail had operated trains between The Pas and Pukatawagan under an agreement with HBRY, but had suspended them from July 27 and August 2, 2005, because the Hudson Bay Railway line had become unsafe due to recent heavy rains in the area loosening the railbed.
On April 1, 2006, the Hudson Bay Railway sold the Sherridon Subdivision to the three native tribes in the area, who now own and operate the railway. The First Nations-owned railway company received $
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
4.9 million dollars in grants from the Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
, $1.25 million dollars from the Government of Manitoba and $500,000 from three First Nations communities (the Mathaias Colomb Indian Band, Tataskweyak Cree Nation
Tataskweyak Cree Nation
The Tataskweyak Cree Nation are located on IR Split Lake 171 at Split Lake, Manitoba. The Reserve is on the Nelson River system about 150 miles from the river's mouth at Hudson Bay...
, and the War Lake First Nation
War Lake First Nation
The War Lake First Nation are residents of the Mooseocoot IR. The reserve lies within the boundaries of Ilford, Manitoba.- References :*...
, who jointly own and operate the railway to this day) for the railway line purchase. The Federal Government has also given the three tribes up to $3.2 million for start-up fees and investments, which include the purchase of locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s, railway equipment, transitional services, office equipment, and infrastructure work (maintenance) on the rail line. This funding comes from the Regional and Remote Passenger Rail Services Contribution Program administered by Transport Canada
Transport Canada
Transport Canada is the department within the government of Canada which is responsible for developing regulations, policies and services of transportation in Canada. It is part of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities portfolio...
.
Via Rail still operates its twice-weekly passenger trains (Numbers 290/291) through an agreement with the new company.