CN and BHP are holding a pair of informational public meetings to consult with area residents and landowners about the proposed rail spur designed to connect the BHP Jansen mine site with the CN main line near Nokomis. The first meeting will be held in Jansen at the Community Hall on Tuesday, April 26 starting at 6:00 pm. The second meeting will be held in Nokomis on Wednesday, April 27 at 6:00 pm. 

The purpose of the meeting is to share details and gather feedback on the joint access spur that extends from the mine site to intersect the CP line at Highway 16 just west of Jansen. The proposed CN access spur will then meander southward between Highways 20 and 6 to join with CN’s main line just east of Nokomis. 

A joint release from BHP and CN notes the considerations taken in developing the route. The proposed route needed to meet safety requirements, stakeholder objectives, achieve minimal interference and deal with engineering and environmental constraints. The route also needed to be setback from residential properties, away from environmentally sensitive areas, have minimal crossings with other roadways and avoid splitting land where possible. Details around the route and the subsequent development will undoubtedly be on the agenda for the meetings along with a presentation slated to happen at 6:30 during each of the two gatherings. 

The proposed schedule for the Jansen CN Rail Spur construction begins with rail earthworks in April 2023 and both track and signal work in August 2024, subject to regulatory approvals including a review by the Canadian Transportation Agency.

The public can access the dedicated webpage to participate in a public survey that closes May 6.