Due to major spring flooding in northern Manitoba, the railway to Churchill has been closed and has made transportation of staff, goods, and groceries a challenge for Churchill Wild. 

Based out of Iles Des Chenes, Churchill Wild owns and operates tourism lodges in northern Manitoba. 

Director of Logistics Shari Wright says the railway is an essential mode of transportation for them and for it to be closed makes things a lot more complicated.  

"We are adjusting, we try to order more of our frozen goods and dry goods to have them on stock in Churchill just in case there comes a time when there does get to be an overload of stuff in Thompson and Calm Air has a bit of a harder time getting stuff to Churchill in a timely manner. They're working very hard to make sure that doesn't happen." 

Wright says they now have to transport a lot of their goods by plane but it's very costly. She notes only one of their lodges is currently in operation but says once the other two open for the season later this summer and into early fall, things could get a bit hectic.   

Not only does this affect transportation of goods but Wright adds this is an issue for their staff as well. "A lot of our staff make their way to Thompson either by driving or taking the bus. Then they take the train to Churchill. Calm Air does fly there twice a week which is not as often as the train so it's not as convenient but it's more costly as well even though they put on good fares in order to help with that. So that's more costly for us and the employee."

Wright adds the company is cost sharing airfare with its employees but they are being cautious about the amount of staff going up north and when they're going into the lodges. She says thankfully they didn't have any major projects planned for this year but this still makes everyday business more complicated. 

"It affects getting our groceries and any freight up to Churchill. We had planned to get a bigger boat for passengers up there this summer but we had to scrap that idea because of the train not running, there's just no other way to get it up there."

Wright says there's talk of potentially having a barge come from the Quebec side of the Hudson's Bay to deliver larger items that can't be taken in by planes such as fuel and propane.