By January 1910, GTPR surveyors staked the line right-of-way, and following its approval by the Board of Railway Commissioners in February, the company issued tenders for line clearing, grading, track-laying, bridge-building, fencing and telegraph construction. In March, a contract was awarded to the Doukhobor organization, the Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood, for clearing and grading the line. The contract marked a milestone for the Doukhobor Community. From 1899 to 1909, thousands of Doukhobors were employed as ‘navvies’ or railroad construction workers each year to earn much-need income. Indeed, it was a workforce of 1,000 Doukhobors that constructed the Canadian Northern Railway line from Kamsack to Humboldt that led to the formation of Canora in 1904. However, this would mark the first time they would engage in railway building as an independent contractor.