REGINA – Saskatchewan farmers surveyed in a recent poll said the port of Churchill is a preferred export route and should be used more.
In a survey for the Saskatchewan agriculture department, 800 farmers were asked about the port in November by the firm Anderson/-Fast Marketing Solutions.
Although 37 percent of respondents said Vancouver was their first choice for a grain export route, 32 percent said Churchill. The United States was chosen by 19 percent, St. Lawrence by two percent and 10 percent had no preference.
Respondents in the Melville/ Yorkton and Prince Albert districts showed the most support for Churchill.
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The majority said Churchill is underused because grain companies prefer to use their own facilities at other ports. They questioned whether Churchill would ever be viable because it is open for such a short time each year, but said new technology could make it viable.
Half of the farmers said CN was not providing reasonable rail service to the port and 68 percent said rail service would improve if both the rail and port facilities were sold and operated by a private company.
Fifty-three percent said a co-operative owned by producers would operate the port best.
Three-quarters said the Canadian Wheat Board should make greater use of the port.
