The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday edition that the Port of Vancouver has been added to the Major Projects Office alongside others. A Globe editorial says Prince Rupert, however, has not been referred to the MPO or deemed a project of national interest. Prince Rupert is 36 hours closer to Shanghai than the Port of Vancouver, and 68 hours closer than the port of Los Angeles. The port's 14-mile harbour is also the third deepest natural ice-free harbour in the world, and the main rail line to the port travels on the flattest grade through the Rocky Mountains.
Unlocking the port's potential needs Ottawa to adopt this port into a broad trade strategy by addressing several hurdles.
For example, the port is only serviced by one railroad. Policies that would allow competing railroads to use these tracks would reduce Canadian National Railway's dominance along this route.
The new Trigon Terminals berth is also looking for a shipper, and liquid propane gas is a promising commodity. Yet a 2015 exclusivity deal between the port authority, AltaGas and Royal Vopak is standing in the way. For more than a century, private players have seen the advantages offered by the port of Prince Rupert. It is time Ottawa does the same.
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