The Government of Canada invests in transportation infrastructure improvements at the Nanaimo Port Authority to help move Canadian goods to market

NANAIMO, BC, June 20, 2018 /CNW/ - The quality of Canada's transportation infrastructure and the efficiency of the country's trade corridors are key to the success of Canadian firms in the global marketplace. The Government of Canada supports infrastructure projects that create quality middle-class jobs and boost economic growth.

Today, the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, announced a major investment of more than $6.3 million for a project at the Nanaimo Port Authority that will help local businesses compete by moving goods to market and by making improvements to port infrastructure.

The Nanaimo Port Authority will design, build, finance and operate a 60,000 square-foot Vehicle Processing Centre and supporting infrastructure to repurpose its existing Nanaimo Assembly Wharf as a multi-purpose general cargo terminal with an initial focus on automobiles. The project will improve Canada's supply chain for automobiles imported into the country by addressing the significant existing transportation bottlenecks, vulnerabilities and congestion while also providing sustainable economic development opportunities for Nanaimo and Vancouver Island.

The project is expected to have significant economic and employment benefits by creating an estimated 200 jobs during construction and an additional 100 jobs after the construction is complete and the processing Centre is fully functional.

The Government of Canada is supporting infrastructure projects that contribute most to Canada's continued success in international trade.  For example, projects being funded will:

• support economic activity and the physical movement of goods or people in Canada;
• help the transportation system withstand the effects of climate change and make sure it is able to support new technologies and innovation;
• address transportation bottlenecks and congestion along Canada's trade corridors; and
• increase the fluidity of Canadian trade around the world through our ports, airports, roads, railways, intermodal facilities, bridges and border crossings.

Provincial, territorial and municipal governments, Indigenous groups, not-for-profit and for-profit private-sector organizations, federal Crown Corporations, Canadian Port Authorities, and National Airport System Airport Authorities are all eligible for funding under the National Trade Corridors Fund.

Quote

"Our government is investing in Canada's economy by making improvements to our trade and transportation corridors. We are supporting projects that will efficiently move commercial goods to market and people to their destinations, stimulate economic growth, create quality middle-class jobs, and ensure that Canada's transportation networks remain competitive and efficient."

The Honourable Marc Garneau
Minister of Transport

Quick Facts

• Transportation is an important element of Canada's trade with other countries. In 2017, total international merchandise trade amounted to $1.1 trillion. The United States continued to be Canada's top trade partner, with $703 billion in trade ($415 billion exported, $288 billion imported), accounting for 63.5 per cent of total Canadian trade in 2017.
• The Government of Canada places a strong emphasis on exports because of the connection between trade and good, well-paying jobs, as industries that are export-intensive pay wages that are, on average, more than 50 per cent higher than industries that are not.

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Backgrounder

National Trade Corridors Fund

The $2 billion National Trade Corridors Fund is one component of the $180 billion Investing in Canada Plan, the Government of Canada's strategy for addressing long-term infrastructure needs in Canada and supporting middle-class growth and well-paying jobs. The quality of Canada's transportation infrastructure and the efficiency of the country's trade corridors is key to the success of Canadian firms in the global marketplace.

The Government of Canada is providing support for well-functioning trade corridors that will allow Canadians to compete in key global markets and trade more efficiently with international partners. It represents a long-term commitment by the Government of Canada to work with stakeholders on strategic infrastructure projects that help to address transportation bottlenecks, vulnerabilities and congestion along Canada's trade corridors.

The National Trade Corridors Fund is also a key element of Transportation 2030, the Minister of Transport's strategic plan for the future of transportation. The development of this vision, including the National Trade Corridors Fund, has been informed by extensive engagement with Canadians from coast to coast to coast, along with insights contained in the 2015 Canada Transportation Act Review report.

The National Trade Corridors Fund is a merit-based program designed to help infrastructure owners and users invest in the critical assets that support economic activity and the physical movement of commercial goods and people in Canada.

A total of $2 billion over 11 years has been allocated for the National Trade Corridors Fund, including up to $400 million in dedicated funding for Northern territorial transportation infrastructure.

Provincial, territorial and municipal governments, Indigenous groups, not-for-profit and for-profit private-sector organizations, federal Crown Corporations, Canadian Port Authorities, and National Airport System Airport Authorities were invited to submit proposals to Transport Canada which were then evaluated against the eligibility criteria for the program.

Types of projects that meet the eligibility criteria include, for example, ports, airports, roads, railways, intermodal facilities, international bridges and border crossings – assets that are the primary building blocks of the supply chains that enable the physical exchange of goods around the world and also support the critical movement of people and goods in Canada's Northern territories.

In addition to the $2 billion of investments under the National Trade Corridors Fund, the Canada Infrastructure Bank will invest at least an additional $5 billion to address trade and transportation projects.

Associated Links

• Trade and Transportation Corridor Initiative
• Investing in Canada Plan
• Transportation 2030

SOURCE Transport Canada

For further information: Delphine Denis, Office of the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, Ottawa, [e-mail], 613-991-0700; Media Relations, Transport Canada, Ottawa, [e-mail], 613-993-0055

Related Links

www.tc.gc.ca