A massive, $45-billion railway project designed to connect eastern markets to ports in Alaska could soon lay its tracks straight through the M.D. of Opportunity.
Town planner Peter Scholtens presented the ambitious multimodal corridor plan to the local council during its regular meeting on July 15. Representing an independent push to build the Alaska-to-Alberta railway, Scholtens asked the municipality for a letter of support to help secure two major federal grants.
“The shortest route between eastern markets and the Port of Anchorage is maintaining a 1% grade and avoiding major tunnelling,” Scholtens said, explaining why the tracks need to cut through the local region.
He told council the most efficient path would come up from Edmonton through Athabasca, parallel the Athabasca River on the west side, and pass near Little Buffalo and the Wabasca River before heading north to cross the Peace River.
Deputy Reeve Brendan Powell asked if the proposed route would align with the province’s planned Highway 686 corridor, hoping it might directly benefit communities like Red Earth Creek and Wabasca.
Scholtens explained that large freight trains need incredibly flat terrain to operate safely. He noted the 686 corridor features steep drops, including a 140-metre vertical dip near Fort McMurray, which is impossible for a heavy train to navigate. However, he suggested a smaller spur line could follow the highway to connect Trout Lake and Peerless Lake to the main track.
The overarching pitch focuses heavily on long-term economic benefits for the north. Scholtens outlined four main drivers for the railway: cheaper resupply costs for northern communities, new transportation options for heavy resources, national defence, and opening up alternative port facilities as West Coast ports reach maximum capacity.
“You can’t put a tree in a pipeline, and you can’t put ore in a pipeline,” Scholtens said. He noted that many remote mines currently rely on a constant stream of transport trucks, which causes massive wear and tear on local roads and municipal budgets.
A major component of the plan is keeping the railway independent from corporate giants like CN and CP. Instead, organizers envision an Indigenous-owned right-of-way that would rent track time to different railway operators.
Scholtens said this setup would allow both heavy, mile-long freight trains and smaller, short-line services to share the tracks. The shorter lines could handle local agriculture, passenger travel, and regional tourism, which help build up the local economy.
To move the project forward, Scholtens and the team is applying for millions in funding through the federal Arctic Infrastructure Fund and the Trade Diversification Corridor Fund. A large portion of the requested funds would be dedicated directly to Indigenous engagement and partnership building.
While the actual laying of tracks is still a long way off, Scholtens said the goal is to have the project fully investment-ready by 2029, relying on private sector funding rather than government contracts.
Council appeared excited by the prospect of a new transportation corridor for the region and unanimously passed a motion to provide the requested letter of support for the grant applications.
Armaan Khanna
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter