Is this really the best use of our new train?
Morning from the Valley — here's what's growing in Winkler-Morden. And sometimes, what's just plain perplexing. You know we're always tracking growth here, but sometimes the province makes decisions that leave you scratching your head, wondering if they’ve ever even *been* to the Pembina Valley. Today's buzz? Turns out Canada's brand-new, flashiest train isn't heading to, say, connect growing economic hubs like ours. Nope. It's earmarked for The Pas-Pukatawagan route.
Now, don't get me wrong, those communities deserve good infrastructure. But here we are, along the Highway 3 corridor, with Decor Cabinets and Triple E and Friesen Corporation all expanding, bringing in more people, more goods, more need for efficient transport. Morden alone grew 14.5% in five years; that's not just new houses, that's new families commuting, new businesses needing reliable shipping. You’d think a modern train could help with that, right? Instead, we're talking about a route way up north. It just feels like a missed opportunity to leverage our region's proven growth.
* **What This Means for Winkler-Morden:** * **Continued Reliance on Road Infrastructure:** Our manufacturers will keep relying on trucks to get products out, adding to the traffic on roads like Highway 32 and Provincial Road 428. * **No Direct Passenger Rail Benefit:** For residents, this means no new rail options for travel, keeping cars and buses as the primary long-distance transport. * **Focus Stays Local:** We'll keep building our own capacity, proving that self-reliance and community investment are what truly drive our success here in the Valley.
It makes you wonder if anyone in Winnipeg is truly looking at the economic engine we’ve built down here. We've shown the rest of Canada how to grow a rural economy and integrate newcomers successfully. Maybe a fancy new train would have been a nice complement to that, but we'll keep doing what we do best, regardless.
Corinne Dueck, MiTL Sports Desk.
You can hear more of my thoughts on this with the guys tomorrow morning — catch it live at mornings.live.