27 March 2009
Feds, Province Pumps Millions Into North Shore Ports
The Saskatchewan Wheat Pool facility in North Vancouver along
Burrard Inlet.
North Vancouver British Columbia - The federal and
provincial governments and other stakeholders are teaming up to improve access to terminals on the North Shore.
So far more than $225 million has been committed to five road and rail projects worth more than $260 million, Stockwell Day, federal
Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, and Premier Gordon Campbell announced Friday.
The federal government is ponying up $75 million and the provincial government $62 million, with the rest of the money coming from
Port Metro Vancouver, terminal operators, TransLink, the City and District of North Vancouver, as well as Canadian National Railway
and Canadian Pacific Railway.
Terminals on the North Shore deal primarily in bulk and break bulk products, such as potash and coal.
In 2007, the eight North Shore terminals handled $7.7 billion worth of cargo, more than 35 percent of all cargo coming through Port
Metro Vancouver, the governments said in a backgrounder.
"This is part of the federal commitment to make sure that when we talk about an Asia-Pacific Gateway it is
real," Day said. "And it's all part of reducing congestion, reducing traffic, and making the lines more integrated."
The improvements - which include building overpasses for easier access to terminals and smoother rail transportation - should cut down
travel time for shippers, both Day and Campbell said.
"With the investments we are announcing today we improve the movement of goods so as cargo comes to the West Coast through
Canada's Pacific Gateway, it's two days closer in Vancouver and Prince Rupert than it is in any other port in the western coast of
North America," Campbell said.
Michael LoVecchio, spokesman for CP, said the upgrades were a tremendous opportunity for CP to improve service to its clients on the
North Shore.
"This will allow us to increase our efficiency and the length of our trains without any impact on the local community,"
LoVecchio said.
The projects are modifying the Brooksbank Avenue underpass to accommodate additional rail tracks, improving access to the Neptune and
Cargill terminals, realigning and elevating Low Level Road to accommodate two new rail tracks, providing an overpass on Pemberton
Avenue to the CN line, and extending Low Level Road through to Marine Drive near Park Royal Shopping Centre in order to relieve
traffic on Marine Drive at Lions Gate Bridge.
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