Hudson Bay Railway
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA Canadian short-line railway connecting northern Manitoba and northeastern Saskatchewan with the Port of Churchill on Hudson Bay.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Hudson Bay Railway is a Canadian short-line railway operating a substantial northern network linking The Pas, Manitoba, with mining, forestry, energy and agricultural customers across northern Manitoba and northeastern Saskatchewan. Its principal corridor runs north from The Pas through Gillam and Amery to Churchill on Hudson Bay, while another branch historically extended through Flin Flon and Sherritt Junction toward Lynn Lake. The railway is associated with the reporting mark HBRY and operates approximately 1,300 kilometres of track. The present company was established by OmniTRAX in July 1997 to acquire former Canadian National Railway lines. Operations began on August 20, 1997, after CN's long period of operation over the route. The line's broader history reaches back to the early twentieth century, when a railway to Hudson Bay was promoted as a way to move prairie grain directly toward overseas markets. Construction began under the Canadian Northern Railway, was interrupted during the First World War, and was ultimately completed by the Canadian government in 1929. Canadian National then operated the system until its sale to OmniTRAX in 1997. The railway serves a geographically isolated region where rail is a critical alternative to road and air transport. Its freight includes ores and concentrates, copper, zinc, logs, kraft paper, lumber, petroleum products and other bulk or industrial commodities. Customers identified in reference material include Hudbay, Tolko, Vale, Gardwine North, Stittco Energy and Farmers of North America; the Canadian Wheat Board was formerly a customer. VIA Rail also uses the route for its Winnipeg–Churchill passenger service, making HBRY infrastructure important to northern communities and tourism as well as freight shippers. Under OmniTRAX, the railway also became closely connected with operation and marketing of the Port of Churchill. The line's ability to handle longer and heavier trains than the previous operating limits imposed by CN helped support increased traffic to the port and from regional mines and pulp and paper facilities. The network nonetheless faces severe engineering and operating challenges, including flooding, washouts, remote access and a light rail or weak track base in portions of the corridor. A major interruption occurred in May 2017, when unprecedented flooding closed the section between Amery and Churchill. The outage disrupted freight, passenger service and the supply chain for Churchill and other northern communities. After negotiations and litigation concerning responsibility for repairs, the railway and port were sold in 2018 to the Arctic Gateway Group, a public-private partnership involving Manitoba communities and First Nations, Fairfax Financial Holdings and AGT Food and Ingredients at the time. Cando Rail Services and Paradox Access Solutions were engaged to repair the line. The federal government announced financial support for the transaction and related operating needs in August 2018. Rail service to Churchill resumed in November 2018, with the first passenger service following in December. Fairfax and AGT transferred their interests to OneNorth in March 2021, leaving the railway and Arctic Gateway Group under local-government and Indigenous-investor ownership. The railway remains an essential northern transportation corridor, with continuing investment directed toward infrastructure reliability and higher track standards.
History
The Hudson Bay Railway corridor originated in early twentieth-century plans to connect the Canadian Prairies with a Hudson Bay port. Edward Alexander Partridge promoted the concept through his Partridge Plan, presenting a northern outlet that could allow prairie grain to reach European markets. The original proposal contemplated Port Nelson, at the mouth of the Nelson River, but construction and port planning evolved over time. Construction began under the Canadian Northern Railway before the First World War. Wartime priorities suspended the work, and construction resumed in 1926 under government direction. During the restart, officials shifted the intended terminal from Port Nelson to Churchill. Churchill offered a deeper and clearer river mouth and avoided some of the dredging and maintenance problems associated with the siltier, shallower Nelson River. This decision explains the route's change in direction after Gillam, where the corridor turns north toward Churchill rather than continuing toward the earlier Port Nelson site. The railway was completed in 1929 and operated by Canadian National Railway for the next several decades. The route became a strategic transportation link for northern Manitoba, serving communities and resource industries that lacked comparable surface connections. Its traffic base included minerals, forest products, petroleum and agricultural commodities. Passenger trains also used portions of the corridor, eventually including VIA Rail's Winnipeg–Churchill service. In July 1997, OmniTRAX established Hudson Bay Railway to purchase and operate former CN lines north from The Pas. The acquisition included two principal branches: one toward Flin Flon and Lynn Lake and another toward Thompson and Churchill. HBRY began operations on August 20, 1997. OmniTRAX later assumed operation and marketing responsibilities associated with the Port of Churchill. Although CN had restricted train weights because of light rail and weak track foundations, the new operator reported that longer and heavier trains could be run successfully, supporting traffic from mines, pulp mills and other shippers. The network suffered a major washout in July 2005 after heavy rainfall damaged the line between The Pas and Pukatawagan. Freight and VIA Rail operations were suspended while repairs were made, and service was restored on August 2, two days earlier than initially expected. In April 2006, HBRY sold the former CN Sherridon Subdivision between Sherritt Junction and Lynn Lake to three area First Nations. The line became the Keewatin Railway, operating mixed passenger and freight trains. The most consequential disruption came in May 2017, when exceptional flooding closed the Amery–Churchill section. The interruption isolated Churchill from its normal rail supply route and affected passenger travel, tourism, fuel deliveries and food prices. A dispute followed over the allocation of repair responsibility. The federal government alleged that OmniTRAX's contract required continued operation, maintenance and repair through 2029, while OmniTRAX maintained that the scale of the flooding fell within a force-majeure provision. Canada subsequently filed an $18 million lawsuit. In August 2018, the railway and port were sold to the Arctic Gateway Group. At that time the ownership structure combined Missinippi Rail, representing Manitoba communities and First Nations, with Fairfax Financial Holdings and AGT Food and Ingredients. Cando Rail Services and Paradox Access Solutions undertook repair work, with federal financial assistance announced in the same year. The first train returned to Churchill on November 1, 2018, and passenger service resumed approximately one month later. Fairfax and AGT transferred their shares to OneNorth in March 2021. This made Arctic Gateway Group and Hudson Bay Railway wholly owned by local-government and Indigenous investors according to the cited reference material. The railway continues to provide freight and passenger-route access across northern Manitoba and northeastern Saskatchewan. Its long-term role depends on maintaining infrastructure in a flood-prone, remote environment and improving track standards while preserving an affordable supply corridor for northern communities.
- 2021
Local and Indigenous ownership consolidated
[1]Fairfax and AGT transferred their Arctic Gateway interests to OneNorth.
- 2018
Arctic Gateway Group acquires the railway and port
[1]The railway and Port of Churchill were sold to Arctic Gateway Group, which coordinated repairs and resumed service later that year.
- 2017
Flooding closes the Churchill corridor
[1]Unprecedented flooding forced an indefinite closure between Amery and Churchill and triggered a dispute over repair obligations.
- 2006
Sherridon Subdivision becomes the Keewatin Railway
[1]HBRY sold the former CN Sherridon Subdivision to three nearby First Nations, which began operating the line.
- 2005
Washout between The Pas and Pukatawagan
[1]Heavy rain damaged the line and temporarily suspended freight and passenger service; repairs restored operations on August 2.
- 1997
OmniTRAX forms Hudson Bay Railway
[1]OmniTRAX established the present Hudson Bay Railway in July and began operating former CN lines on August 20.
- 1929
Hudson Bay rail route completed
[1]The railway to Churchill was completed after construction interrupted by the First World War and resumed in the 1920s.
Products and positioning
A vital northern Canadian short-line railway and supply-chain corridor serving remote communities, mines, forestry operators, energy suppliers, agricultural shippers and the Port of Churchill.
Rail freight
Bulk mineral freight
The railway transports ores and concentrates, including copper and zinc-related traffic, from northern mining operations to processing, distribution or export connections. Reference material identifies Hudbay and Vale among the customers associated with the network.
Rail freight
Forest-products freight
HBRY serves the region's forestry and pulp-and-paper economy by moving logs, kraft paper and lumber. These shipments connect remote production areas with southern markets and the wider Canadian transportation system.
Rail freight
Energy and petroleum freight
Petroleum products and liquefied petroleum gas are among the energy-related commodities carried over the network. Such service is particularly important for northern communities that depend on surface transportation for fuel and other essential supplies.
Logistics infrastructure
Port of Churchill rail connection
The Churchill corridor links the railway with the Port of Churchill, enabling freight to move between inland producers and the Hudson Bay port. HBRY's connection to the port is central to its role as a northern gateway.
Passenger rail access
Passenger-route infrastructure
VIA Rail uses HBRY tracks for its Winnipeg–Churchill service. The passenger operation provides an important surface link for residents, visitors and tourism, although the trains are operated by VIA Rail rather than marketed as an HBRY passenger product.
Brand decisions
2025
Planned infrastructure upgrades toward Class I statusStrategyBackground
The railway requires continuing investment to improve resilience, capacity and operating standards across a remote, flood-prone corridor.
Action taken
The Manitoba provincial government announced funding intended to help upgrade the line toward Class I track status.
2021
Transfer of private-sector ownership interestsM&ABackground
Arctic Gateway Group had initially combined local and First Nations interests with investments from Fairfax Financial Holdings and AGT Food and Ingredients.
Action taken
Fairfax and AGT transferred their shares to OneNorth, formerly Missinippi Rail.
Aftermath
The railway and Arctic Gateway Group became wholly owned by local-government and Indigenous investors according to the cited reference.
2018
Sale to Arctic Gateway GroupM&ABackground
The 2017 flood closure created uncertainty over the future of the Churchill corridor and the allocation of repair costs.
Action taken
The railway and Port of Churchill were sold to Arctic Gateway Group, which contracted repair specialists and obtained federal support.
Aftermath
Rail service returned to Churchill in November 2018, followed by passenger service in December.
Federal commitment related to the acquisition and early operations. $117 million committed, including a reported $43 million operating-cost grant (2018 announcement)
2006
Sale of the Sherridon SubdivisionM&ABackground
The former CN Sherridon Subdivision served communities and resource areas near Sherritt Junction and Lynn Lake.
Action taken
Hudson Bay Railway sold the subdivision to three First Nations in the area.
Aftermath
The new owners operated the line as the Keewatin Railway with twice-weekly mixed passenger and freight trains.
1997
Acquisition of former CN northern linesM&ABackground
Canadian National had operated the northern routes since 1929, while the lines served remote communities and resource industries.
Action taken
OmniTRAX created Hudson Bay Railway and purchased the former CN lines running north from The Pas toward Flin Flon, Lynn Lake, Thompson and Churchill.
Aftermath
HBRY began operations on August 20, 1997, and later became associated with the operation and marketing of the Port of Churchill.
Sources2 sources
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