The Future for Transport to Canada’s North: Airships and Other Options (Barry Prentice)

Transportation is a challenge in the North. The distances are vast. The freight rates are very high because the markets are thin and backhauls are scarce. Consequently, shippers must pay the full costs of the round trip. Harsh climate conditions and construction on permafrost add to transportation infrastructure costs, as do the strict environmental regulations and native land claims. Overland access is denied year-round to almost three-quarters of Canada and Alaska because the cost of building all-weather roads is so expensive. The estimated costs of building 852 kilometres of gravel roads in the boreal forest of Manitoba is $2.8 billion, or $3 million per kilometre. So what are our options? What is our future of Transportation in Canada’s North? From Breakfast on the Frontier speech in Winnipeg on October 9, 2012. (~ min.)

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The Future for Transport to Canada’s North: Airships and Other Options (PowerPoint Slides)

The Future for Transport to Canada’s North: Airships and Other Options (Event)