Winnipeg Rail Relocation Study

Why This Matters


Railways shape how Winnipeg moves, grows and connects. Nearly every neighbourhood is affected by rail infrastructure - through noise, traffic, safety or environmental impacts. At the same time, the city's rail network is a vital source of employment, trade and freight movement, giving Winnipeg a key role in national access and economic activity.

Winnipeg has more than 240 kilometres of active rail lines, with an average of 50 trains passing through the city daily. Major yards and corridors intersect residential, industrial and commercial areas, making Winnipeg one of the most rail-dense urban centres in Canada. The Canadian Pacific (CP) yards alone cover roughly 100 hectares in the heart of Winnipeg and divide the North End from central Winnipeg, creating a geographic barrier. This brings both pressing challenges and exciting opportunities to modernize systems, adapt land and reimagine rail's role in a growing city.

The Winnipeg Rail Relocation Study is going beyond infrastructure. The project will address community concerns identified through engagement including public safety, traffic congestion, economic development, environmental sustainability and land use. Both practical near-term solutions and long-range transformation strategies will be reflected in the final analysis and recommendations.

The study is examining every option - from rail adaptation to repurposing underused corridors for housing, active transportation and green space, while ensuring meaningful involvement of First Nations, Métis and Inuit governments and organizations to advance Indigenous participation and reconciliation.

Initial areas of focus include:



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