Media releases

Vancouver to benefit from $100 million in federal funding to support trade-enabling infrastructure

On July 23, 2019, the port authority received over $100 million from the federal government’s National Trade Corridors Fund to support infrastructure projects that will facilitate goods movement to and from the Port of Vancouver.

“As a Canada Port Authority, our job is to make sure the port is ready to handle Canada’s growth in trade, but we are also undertaking a number of projects beyond the port to improve the flow of goods and seek to alleviate the impacts of growing trade on local communities,” said Robin Silvester, president and chief executive officer at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. “With this federal funding, we are able to take on five new projects that will enable us to continue this critical work.”

The five funded projects include three infrastructure projects in Richmond and Surrey to reduce interactions between the community and road and rail activities by building overpasses and making other improvements in operations. Additional funding will support two studies that will look at how to move goods more efficiently throughout the Lower Mainland.

“We are pleased to have continued recognition from Minister Garneau and the federal government of the important role this region plays in the country’s economy,” continued Silvester. “We also want to thank the many stakeholders with whom we have collaborated to bring these projects to this stage, and whose efforts are ensuring a strong economy for our local community and for Canada. They include our local members of Parliament, the provincial government, municipalities, Indigenous groups, and industry partners.”

The funded projects were identified in the Greater Vancouver Gateway 2030 Strategy, a strategic plan developed by the Gateway Transportation Collaboration Forum. The forum is an ongoing collaborative effort to ensure the Greater Vancouver gateway is ready to manage growing trade, and its membership includes Transport Canada, the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, TransLink and the Greater Vancouver Gateway Council.

In 2018, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority received more than $200 million through the National Trade Corridors Fund for projects with similar objectives to those announced.

More information:

• Gateway Transportation Collaboration Forum
• Transportation 2030
• Transport Canada National Trade Corridors Fund
• July 22, 2019: Government of Canada invests in transportation infrastructure at the Port of Vancouver to move goods to market
• June 22, 2018: Vancouver to benefit from more than $200 million in federal funding for key goods-movement infrastructure projects
• June 22, 2018: The Government of Canada invests in road and rail infrastructure for the Port of Vancouver and Canadian National
• May 17, 2018: The Government of Canada invests in transportation infrastructure for the Port of Vancouver in British Columbia

Current projects funded through the Government of Canada’s National Trade Corridors Fund:

• Mountain Highway Underpass Project
• Including the Dominion Street realignment, now underway
• Burrard Inlet Road and Rail Improvement Project
• Including the South Shore Access Project, now underway
• Pitt Meadows Road and Rail Improvements Project
• Burnaby Rail Corridor Improvements
• Pitt River Overpass and Colony Farm Overpass Project (study only)
• Kingsway and Westwood Grade Separations Project (study only)

About Vancouver Fraser Port Authority

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is responsible for the stewardship of the federal port lands in and around Vancouver, British Columbia. It is financially self-sufficient and accountable to the federal minister of transport and operates pursuant to the Canada Marine Act. The Port of Vancouver is Canada’s largest, and the third largest in North America by tonnes of cargo, facilitating trade between Canada and more than 170 world economies. Located in a naturally beautiful setting on Canada’s west coast, the port authority and port terminals and tenants are responsible for the efficient and reliable movement of goods and passengers, integrating environmental, social and economic sustainability initiatives into all areas of port operations. Enabling the trade of approximately $240 billion in goods, port activities sustain 115,300 jobs, $7 billion in wages, and $11.9 billion in GDP across Canada.

Media contact:

Kristina Driedger
Senior Communications Advisor, Projects
604.665.9230
[email protected]

Share this story: