The federal government has a message for the company that owns the Churchill rail line: fix it, or we’ll see you in court.
The government issued a statement to Colorado-based Omnitrax, ordering it to fix the line and resume transport within 30 days. If the company fails to reach the deadline, Justice Canada will be instructed to file a lawsuit against the company for breach of contract.
A report released by engineering firm AECOM in September estimated that the line could be repaired in 60 days.
Omnitrax stated in August that it had no intention or legal obligation to pay to repair the tracks, which the company estimates could cost as much as $60 million.
The rail line has been out of operation since May, when wide-spread flooding caused several portions of the track to be unsuitable for transport.
Without a functioning rail line, Churchill has been cut off from most of the province. Expensive flights have become the only way to leave or enter Churchill since the closure.
