Churchill, Canada

Churchill is a town on the shore of Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada. It is most famous for the many polar bears that move toward the shore from inland in the autumn, leading to the nickname "Polar Bear Capital of the World" that has helped its growing tourism industry.

Starting in the 1980s, the town developed a sizable tourism industry focused on the migration habits of the polar bear. Tourists can safely view polar bears from specially modified buses known as tundra buggies. Thousands of beluga whales, which move into the warmer waters of the Churchill River estuary during July and August to calf, are a major summer attraction. Churchill is also a destination for bird watchers from late May until August.

Things to See & Do

* Eskimo Museum
* Fort Prince of Wales
* Polar bears
* Bird watching
* Whale watching

General Information

Cruise Season – May - Oct
Currency – Canadian dollar ($) (CAD)
Language – Inuit Language (Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun), English, French
Population – 923 approx
Land Area – 53.96 km²
Electricity – 2 round pins European style
Time – GMT minus six hours
International Country Telephone Code – +709

Travel Links – Churchill is serviced by two scheduled airlines offering flights to and from Winnipeg and to points north of Churchill in Nunavut. Calm Air offers service from Churchill Airport with daily flights to Winnipeg and the Kivalliq Region of Nunavut.

The Winnipeg – Churchill train, a passenger train operated by Via Rail provides service between the Churchill railway station and Union Station in Winnipeg 3 times per week, a 1,700 km (1,100 mi) journey that takes about 40 hours.