Churchill, Manitoba

Churchill, Manitoba is a port on Hudson's Bay, at the mouth of Churchill River. Churchill is attached to the North American railroad grid -- the only port on the Arctic Ocean that is.

Much of the rail line crosses permafrost, so damage, due to frost heaving, calls for constant maintenance.

Originally the port was to be situated on the mouth of the nearby Nelson River. But the Nelson is a larger river, that is heavily laden with silt, and maintaining port facilities there would have posed technical difficulties, including constant dredging.

Churchill's position on the coast leads to a significant number of Polar bears migrating through Churchill. Churchill has tourists who visit in order to see the Polar bears. Churchill is also a good location for those wishing to see the Northern Lights.