Churchill is an important strategic asset not just for Manitoba but also for Canada as a whole.

This is the clear message that we are sending as the Port of Churchill once again is open for shipping.

The arrival of the MV Federal Danube was the start of the 2010 shipping season for Churchill. The vessel was scheduled to take Canadian wheat to the European market.  It will load approximately 33,000 tonnes of durum wheat.

The arrival of the first ship highlights how important Churchill is as a marketing link for the grain produced in Manitoba and across the Prairies.

How much has been shipped through Churchill in recent years? In 2009, 529,000 tonnes of wheat was shipped through the Port of Churchill with 424,000 tonnes in 2008 and 620,000 tonnes in 2007, a 30-year high.

  The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) has played a key role in the shipping through the port in recent years. It is by far the largest customer of the Port of Churchill. It has also been making an increasing commitment to the port.  

In 2008, the CWB began the Churchill Storage Program, which pays farmers in the port's catchment area to retain grain on-farm for movement through the Northern port during the Churchill shipping season (generally from July to November).  The program ensures that grain remains in farm bins over the winter for shipment through Churchill in summer.  

The other significant development is that the provincial and federal governments have partnered with Omnitrax to begin upgrading the port and the rail line. A significant amount of work has already been completed.

All this comes at a time when there has been an increasing recognition of the strategic importance of Churchill, Canada's Arctic port. As Arctic shipping opens up Churchill is well positioned for shipping to and from North America to Western Europe, Russia and Asia.

As minister of infrastructure and transportation I am pleased to be a part of our government's ongoing commitment to Churchill.

As the 2010 shipping season opens it is clear Churchill is a strategic asset with tremendous potential for the future.