Minister of Transport announces funding to increase cargo volume capacity and efficiency at the Vancouver International Airport

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 11, 2024 /CNW/ - An efficient and reliable transportation system is essential to making life more affordable for Canadians. The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring our supply chains support economic growth and create good, middle-class jobs for Canadians, while ensuring they are resilient and adaptive to the impacts of climate change.

Today, the Minister of Transport, Pablo Rodriguez, announced an investment of up to $74.3 million under the National Trade Corridors Fund for an expansion at the Vancouver International Airport. This will equip the airport to handle more cargo, as well as improve its facilities and efficiency, and reduce pollution.

This project will enable the movement of larger aircraft between cargo facilities and the runway. It will:

• increase parking space capacity to accommodate four additional widebody freighter aircraft;
• upgrade an access road; and
• prepare the site for the construction of a new air cargo warehouse.

This project will also support business growth of Canadian carriers, including Air Canada, WestJet and Cargojet. It is estimated that the project will reduce truck travel by up to 229 million kilometres over 30 years because local exporters will not need to transport their products to an airport further away. This will improve highway safety and reduce GHG emissions.

The goods exported through Vancouver International Airport support key economic growth in sectors such as advanced manufacturing and pharmaceuticals. In addition, traditional sectors such as agriculture and fisheries need reliable air cargo export shipments to ensure perishable items can reach global markets in a timely manner.

In total, improvements will boost the airport's cargo capacity by 160,000 tonnes, representing a $22 billion increase to Canada's trade potential annually.

Moreover, by making room for fuel-efficient widebody freighter aircraft at the terminal, pollution generated by the movement of air cargo through Vancouver International Airport will be reduced by up to 25 percent. It will enable the airport to handle more air cargo while also helping create a greener transportation system in Canada.

The Government of Canada continues to take action by strengthening the country's supply chains, to promote economic growth and enhance the opportunities for our businesses to expand into global markets. This represents another long-term commitment to work with stakeholders on strategic infrastructure projects to address transportation bottlenecks, vulnerabilities, and congestion along Canada's trade corridors.

"We're improving our supply chains through this project by increasing capacity to handle higher air cargo volumes and improve efficiency at the Vancouver International Airport, while reducing pollution."

Pablo Rodriguez
Minister of Transport

"Our government is expanding the cargo capacity at the Vancouver International Airport to improve the flow of goods and create a dynamic trade environment that allows Canadian businesses to be more competitive globally.  We are also creating more exciting employment opportunities in Richmond Centre and across Canada."

Wilson Miao
Member of Parliament for Richmond Centre 

"Cargo and our focus on growth and optimization is in direct service of our community and the economy that supports it. The substantial funding from the National Trade Corridors Fund for cargo development at YVR will enhance our role as gateway for global and domestic cargo operators. With improved capacity and infrastructure, we will handle more essential cargo and contribute to building stronger and more resilient supply chains between Canada and global markets, benefitting local businesses and consumers."

Tamara Vrooman
President and CEO, Vancouver Airport Authority

• This project will benefit shippers by offering more flexibility for shipment size, fewer limitations on transporting machinery and electrical goods, and fewer restrictions imposed by passenger schedules and demand. The project will also reduce truck travel, resulting in improved highway safety and a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
• An efficient and reliable transportation network is key to Canada's economic growth. The Government of Canada, through the National Trade Corridors Fund, is making investments that will support the flow of goods across Canada's supply chains. The National Trade Corridors Fund is a competitive, merit-based program designed to help infrastructure owners and users invest in the critical transportation assets that support economic activity in Canada. A total of $4.6 billion over 11 years (2017-2028) has been allocated to the program.
• Through the National Trade Corridors Fund, Transport Canada is supporting improvements to Canada's roads, rail, air, and marine shipping routes to foster domestic and international trade.
• The National Trade Corridors Fund's Increasing the Fluidity of Canada's Supply Chains call for proposals supports fluid and reliable trade flows between Canada and global markets, as well as internal trade corridors.

National Trade Corridors Fund Backgrounder 

This news release may be made available in alternative formats.

SOURCE Transport Canada - Ottawa