“After carefully reviewing our options, the Government of the Northwest Territories is seeking an injunction pausing the discontinuance process and was recently granted a leave to appeal to the Canadian Transportation Agency’s (CTA) decision to dismiss our complaint regarding the Meander River Subdivision rail line.

The 30-kilometre stretch of track between Enterprise and Hay River, damaged during the 2023 wildfires, is a small section of railway with significant importance. It connects southern re-supply lines to Hay River, where goods and fuel are transferred to barges that serve remote and fly-in communities across the Northwest Territories. It also serves isolated and majority-Indigenous communities as well as early-stage critical minerals essential to clean energy solutions and rare earth projects. The value of this Northern supply chain can’t be understated, without this line, we will see increased reliance on wildfire-damaged highways, and increased costs and safety risks for families, businesses, and governments.

The Government of the Northwest Territories takes the position that CN Rail has a legal duty to maintain this rail line and ensure the continued flow of goods to the Northwest Territories’ most remote and isolated communities.

We will continue to raise this issue in discussions with our federal counterparts and explore other appeal avenues available. We will not comment further while this matter is before the courts.”