Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) is calling on the federal government and the Major Projects Office to designate the Port of Vancouver and its connecting rail infrastructure as a project of national significance.
This is needed to secure trade, protect economic growth “and maintain Canada’s reputation as a reliable supplier of essential products to the world,” it said.
The government’s list of projects of national significance is “incomplete without the inclusion of urgent upgrades required at the Port of Vancouver, Canada’s largest port and the country’s most critical trade chokepoint,” the organization said.
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Connecting Canada with the Indo-Pacific region, the Port of Vancouver is essential to Canada’s economic growth and prosperity, GGC said. It noted that more than 50 per cent of the grain grown in Canada is exported through the port, accounting for $35 million in daily exports of grain and grain products.
The Major Projects Office (MPO) was announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney in August. The first series of projects being referred to the office for consideration was announced on Sept. 11.
Those projects include:
- LNG Canada Phase 2, in Kitimat, B.C., which will double LNG Canada’s production of liquefied natural gas.
- Darlington New Nuclear Project, in Bowmanville, Ont., which will make Canada the first G7 country to have an operational small modular reactor (SMR).
- Contrecœur Terminal Container Project, in Contrecœur, Qué., which will expand the Port of Montréal’s capacity by approximately 60 per cent.
- McIlvenna Bay Foran Copper Mine Project, in Saskatchewan, which will supply copper and zinc to strengthen Canada’s position as a global supplier of critical minerals for clean energy, advanced manufacturing and modern infrastructure.
- Red Chris Mine expansion, in northern B.C., which will extend the lifespan of the mine by over a decade, increase Canada’s annual copper production by over 15 per cent and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 70 per cent when operational.
“The MPO will work to fast-track nation-building projects by streamlining regulatory assessment and approvals and helping to structure financing, in close partnership with provinces, territories, Indigenous Peoples, and private investors,” said the Prime Minister’s office in a news release.
“Canada’s new government is focused on delivering major projects to connect our communities, empower Canadian workers, and build Canada’s strength,” Carney said in the government release.
