CN says rail line at NWT-Alberta border has been damaged

Rail giant CN says its line appears to have sustained “significant” damage from a wildfire just north of the NWT-Alberta border.

On Wednesday afternoon, a spokesperson said freight services have been disrupted as a result and there’s no timeline for the line to be reopened.

CN’s rail line connects the NWT to the rest of Canada and is an important means of getting fuel and other freight into the territory.

Wildfire damage to a section of track between Enterprise and Hay River last year has not been repaired, a decision for which CN has been criticized by some territorial politicians. The GNWT has urged CN to find the $15 million that it estimates would allow that section to be reopened, but CN says there isn’t enough customer interest to make the repairs worthwhile.

Instead, freight and fuel has been offloaded at a rail yard in Enterprise, south of Hay River, which CN said some customers preferred rather than reopening the line to Hay River.

However, the fresh damage this week just north of the Alberta border cuts off the territory entirely.

“CN continues to assess the scale and severity of the fire damage to the rail line. Initial reports indicate the damage is significant,” a spokesperson said by email.

“Repairs will begin immediately and proceed as long as conditions remain safe to do so.

“A precise time for restoration is not available and is highly dependent on external factors including fire activity, but we expect the outage to remain for several weeks.”

NWT Fire previously said high winds and hot, dry conditions had “reignited” wildfires near the border. Fires have been burning in the area for months.

CN said it was “actively engaged with customers to help protect supply chains and ensure goods continue to flow to communities.”