The Government of Canada invests in improvements to the fluidity of the supply chain in Nanaimo

OTTAWA, ON, March 15, 2023 /CNW/ - An efficient and reliable transportation system is essential to making life more affordable for Canadians and combat the rising cost of living. The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring our supply chains grow the economy and create good jobs for middle-class Canadians, while ensuring they are resilient and adaptive to the impacts of climate change.

Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, announced an investment of up to $600,000, under the National Trade Corridors Fund, for the Nanaimo Port Authority to study:

• the expansion of container handling capacity;
• the development of land near the port to support economic growth, job creation, and trade;
• and the assessment of potential improvements to the transportation of cargo by sea over short distances between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.

For example, the study will determine the possibility of expanding the Vancouver Island's Duke Point Terminal, to help alleviate bottlenecks at Vancouver's deep-sea terminals. It will also explore the feasibility of improving the terminal's infrastructure, providing better connectivity to transfer cargo from barges to rail cars on the mainland. The Pacific region could see increased import/export capacity of goods from the forestry and agriculture sectors, as well as seafood and other food sectors.

The Government of Canada continues to make investments to strengthen our supply chain, promote economic growth, and increase the opportunities for our businesses to expand into global markets. This represents a long-term commitment to work with stakeholders on strategic infrastructure projects to address transportation bottlenecks, vulnerabilities, and congestion along Canada's trade corridors.

Quotes

"Canadian exporters rely on a strong supply chain, especially at hubs like the Port of Nanaimo. Investments, such as the one we are announcing today, will facilitate the movement of goods at the port, help the economy of the Pacific region grow, and create good jobs for Canadians."

The Honourable Omar Alghabra 
Minister of Transport 

"The Port of Nanaimo is appreciative of the National Trade Corridors Funding award to study how additional expansion of the Duke Point terminal, combined with upland development can provide new import/export opportunities for Vancouver Island communities and increase resiliency and capacity for the broader Pacific Region supply chain network."

Ian Marr
President and CEO, Nanaimo Port Authority

Quick Facts  

• The Government of Canada, through the National Trade Corridors Fund, is making investments that will support the flow of goods across Canada's supply chains.
• The National Trade Corridors Fund is a competitive, merit-based program designed to help infrastructure owners and users invest in the critical transportation assets that support economic activity in Canada. A total of $4.7 billion over 11 years (2017-2028) has been allocated to the program.
• Through the National Trade Corridors Fund, Transport Canada is supporting improvements to Canada's roads, rail, air, and marine shipping routes to foster domestic and international trade.
• The National Trade Corridors Fund's Increasing the Fluidity of Canada's Supply Chains call for proposals supports fluid and reliable trade flows between Canada and global markets, as well as internal trade corridors.

Related Product 

National Trade Corridors Fund Backgrounder 

This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons living with visual disabilities. 

SOURCE Transport Canada

Nadine Ramadan, Press Secretary and Communications Advisor, Office of the Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport, Ottawa, [email protected]; Media Relations, Transport Canada, Ottawa, 613-993-0055, [email protected]