The Peace River Regional District is exploring opportunities to potentially reopen the railway between Dawson Creek and Grande Prairie.
The rail connection became inactive in 2018 after it was added to CN Rail’s discontinuance list that September.
An investigation into the closure says the line declined over time after Northern Alberta Railways was absorbed by CN Rail.
The PRRD joined the Community Rail Advocacy Alliance in September 2025 to support efforts to reopen the line.
Leonard Hiebert, director for Area D of the PRRD, says the board is just getting started and there is a lot of work ahead.
“We need to meet with MPs and get information from CN so we can put an advocacy package together,” Hiebert said.
South Peace Grain is also pushing for a railway connection between Dawson Creek and the Alberta border.
Manager Harris Ford says it would be more efficient and less costly for grain producers to move their commodities by train.
“It would be a lot easier to market grain, and more cost-effective for purchasers to buy grain from the region if it was shipped by rail,” Ford said.
The railway runs next to the South Peace Grain facility, but since it was discontinued, the company has had to load commodities onto trucks almost daily.
Ford says the same amount of grain would be moved by rail but at a cost of up to 40 per cent less than trucking.
He says grain producers in the Peace Region have felt the impact of the rail closure.
“We’ve lost the competition locally. By losing the competition, there’s less of a market for commodities in town than there should be,” he explained.
Ford says the number of grain elevators in Dawson Creek has gone from five down to two over the past six years.
He notes that each grain elevator would have employed between 10 to 15 staff members.
“Right now, in order for us to hit Alberta markets by rail, shipments have to go through Prince George and then back into Alberta. It’s substantially longer,” Ford said.
In addition, trains travelling to Prince George must navigate the Pine Pass area, which Ford says has historically been prone to avalanches, flooding, and washouts.
Hiebert says some sections of the Dawson Creek to Grande Prairie railway are in poor condition.
He adds CN could decide the line is too expensive to replace or repair. However, he says moving commodities by truck comes with its own issues.
“That beats up other infrastructure that we’re trying to maintain and keep up. The roads always take a beating as soon as you take rail off the list,” Hiebert said.
Ultimately, Ford says it comes down to jobs and supporting the local economy, while acknowledging reopening the rail line would be huge ask.
“What we should really be pushing for is improved rail conditions from here to Chetwynd, and from Fort St. John to Fort Nelson,” Ford said, referring to lines that are still active in the region.
The PRRD says it will continue to push the issue forward, but the future of the line can only be decided by CN Rail.
CN says it invested $615 million in BC in 2025 but didn’t say how much was invested in the Peace Region.
“Any rail line must have sufficient customer traffic to support the ongoing investments required to maintain safe and efficient operations,” the company said.
The list of rail lines being considered for discontinuance is reviewed and updated periodically.
CN says there has been no decision to move the 49.6 miles of track between Dawson Creek and Grande Prairie to the next step of advertising the line.