After a quarter-century of providing vital goods such as food to communities in the Northwest Territories, Manitoulin Transport is expressing concerns over its future operations due to escalating road closures triggered by climate change. In recent times, the company has faced multiple instances of trucks stranded on the Dempster Highway, enduring prolonged closures caused by adverse weather conditions like wind and snow.
Rob Eskens, the vice president of sales at Manitoulin, highlighted the gravity of the situation this year, with nine trailer loads of essential products stalled en route to communities. This predicament is causing anxiety as people eagerly await these goods. The company is grappling with financial setbacks from replacing spoiled goods in trucks and investing additional time in assessing heightened safety risks for their drivers. Eskens also revealed a recent incident where one of their drivers had to be rescued following an accident during a road closure.
Advocating for enhanced road safety measures and increased snow clearing operations, Eskens is urging the governments of the Northwest Territories and the Yukon to take proactive steps. Binay Yadav, the director of transportation at the N.W.T. Department of Infrastructure, acknowledged the utilization of data analysis to predict climate change impacts on infrastructure for planning road and highway maintenance. However, the substantial costs associated with infrastructure improvements remain a significant challenge.
Yadav emphasized the persistent year-round infrastructure challenges driven by climatic factors, resulting in escalating repair costs. He pointed out various obstacles such as shorter construction windows, limited industry capacity, challenging access sites in remote areas, and a shortage of skilled workers contributing to the soaring infrastructure expenses in the N.W.T. Notably, Yadav cited a significant increase in construction material costs, with steel prices surging by 50% and concrete by 104% in the past two years for projects like the Frank Channel Bridge replacement near Behchokǫ.
In response to the climate-related risks, the Yukon government is actively engaged in rehabilitating and reconstructing vulnerable corridors like Dempster Highway, Alaska Highway, and North Klondike Highway. Acknowledging the pressing need to address infrastructure challenges, a spokesperson from the Department of Highways and Public Works disclosed that nearly $50 million was allocated for road maintenance last year in Yukon.
The N.W.T. Infrastructure department is leveraging research collaborations and innovative technologies to anticipate climate impacts and enhance infrastructure resilience. Despite these efforts, the territorial government relies on federal funding to bolster existing infrastructure and develop climate-resilient projects. Environment and Climate Change Canada underscored the federal government’s substantial investment of $6.6 billion in climate adaptation since 2015, emphasizing the importance of strategic initiatives to build resilience against climate change impacts.
With the uncertainties surrounding road accessibility, Eskens from Manitoulin Transport raised doubts about the feasibility of continued road deliveries. The company faces significant financial burdens, with each truckload of spoiled goods costing approximately $50,000 in replacement expenses. Considering the challenges, Manitoulin Transport is exploring alternative transportation methods like air freight as a contingency plan for potential worsening conditions in the future.