By Matt Fetinko

Northern BC Rail Analysis

New review to look into the good, the bad, and the ugly of Northern BC rail systems

Nov 12, 2020 | 2:37 PM

ckpgPRINCE GEORGE — Communities in Northern BC rely very heavily on the railway systems due to our geographical location. However, over time old systems become less efficient than they used to be. The Northern BC Rail Analysis will review the current state of rail systems and their ability to meet current demand before a final looking at sustainable improvement opportunities. That process should take roughly one year.

A major factor of that includes the transportation of goods which, at this point, is not good enough in some areas. The District of Mackenzie is a prime example. According to Mayor Joan Atkinson, that can pose a lot of issues to businesses and, in turn, workers.

“Companies here in [Mackenzie], if they order 30 rail cars, they’re lucky if they get half of what they want,” she explained. “Millions of dollars of inventory in every community in the north sits, waiting to be brought to market and that’s the issue we want to help resolve.”

“Our rail infrastructure is absolutely critical to getting our goods to market. In this region, of course, that means our forest products, our mining products, and manufacturing from here,” Kiel Giddens, Prince George Chamber of Commerce CEO, added.

The Northern Development Initiative Trust has committed $197,006 to the project through its Pine Beetle Recovery Account. In a statement, NDIT CEO Joel McKay said, “There is immense value in better understanding the current state of rail service and infrastructure in Northern B.C., and the opportunity to improve upon that service to support the long-term viability of our communities and expand our core industries.”

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While Mackenzie is the southernmost district represented within the Resource Municipalities Coalition, this analysis will also review rail services of Prince George, Cariboo-Chilcotin Lillooet, the North-West, and North-East regions of BC.