SURREY, B.C. – Yesterday, the Government of Canada announced a major investment in the Lower Mainland’s transportation infrastructure. The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, announced a major investment of $102 million for five projects that will increase efficiency at the Port of Vancouver and move Canadian goods to international markets.
The projects are:
- $42.7 million to consolidate the operations of the Annacis Auto Terminal and the Richmond Terminal to accommodate the growing Asian automobile market and improve rail operations in the area.
- $12.2 million to improve road and rail traffic operations and develop new rail-serviced bulk export marine terminals within the Fraser Surrey Port Lands.
- $39.4 million to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion in the Portside/Blundell corridor in Richmond.
- $1.6 million to explore ways to handle increased trade volumes by evaluating the viability of short sea shipping in Greater Vancouver.
- $6 million to develop a real-time dashboard for the Ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert to measure end-to-end performance of the supply chain for all cargo moving through both ports.
“The Surrey Board of Trade wrote a letter of support for these projects and helped with advocacy support,” said Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade. “The Surrey Board of Trade is pleased that Fraser Surrey Port Lands will receive $12.2 million to improve road and rail traffic operations as well as develop new rail-serviced bulk export marine terminals.”
The Surrey Board of Trade presented to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency in May 2019 highlighting the need for additional infrastructure to ship and receive goods. Canada’s western ports exported approximately $55 billion in goods in 2018. With respect to volumes, the Port of Vancouver is Canada’s largest port and the third largest in North America. It handled 147.1 million tonnes of cargo handled in 2018 (2.8 million tonnes per week). The Port of Vancouver moves many of Canada’s key export commodities including coal, grain, forest products, metals and minerals, and fertilizers.
“The current capacity of the terminals in the Lower Mainland is inadequate, especially as we sign ongoing free trade agreements to enhance Canada’s global economic opportunities.”
It is the mandate of the Surrey Board of Trade to support business and attract business through a diversified portfolio of services which includes government advocacy, business/international services, connections concierge and cost-saving benefits.
“Advocating for transportation investments to move goods and people is in the mandate of the board of trade/chamber of commerce industry.”
“The Surrey Board of Trade’s Transportation and Industry & International Trade Policy Teams have advocated for enhanced infrastructure improvements to move Canadian goods to international markets.”
These investments are expected to have important economic and employment benefits for the region by creating an estimated 2,320 jobs in the region during construction.
-30-
For more information:
Anita Huberman, CEO of the Surrey Board of Trade, at 604-634-0243 or by email anita@businessinsurrey.com
