Is this more evidence of NAU starting/continuing? Read on.
New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal
Thu 14 Aug 2008
Page: B1
Section: Business
Byline: Ben Shingler Telegraph-Journal
The federal government and Atlantic Canada must develop a comprehensive regional strategy and invest in transportation infrastructure to secure the greatest share of an expected boom in shipping traffic in the next two decades, says a top industry official.
Gary LeRoux, executive director of the Association of Canadian Port Authorities, said he expects the steady increase in global trade to lead to a doubling of shipments to North America over the next 15 years, from around 50 million containers annually to 100 million.
“Free movement is critical for Canada’s continued prosperity because we’re a trade-dependent nation,” LeRoux said from his office in Ottawa.
“Ports are important for that trade movement, so you can’t have one without the other.”
This Sunday, LeRoux will bring his message of trade and prosperity to Saint John for the port association’s 50th annual general meeting.
Delegates from ports across the country will convene next week to discuss how to make the supply chain – from shipping lines to ports to inland transportation – more fluid, develop plans to improve regional transportation corridors, and reduce ports’ environmental impact.
The Atlantic Gateway strategy, a project involving the federal government and the four eastern provinces launched October 2007, still lacks a comprehensive plan and lags behind its west coast counterpart.
“On this coast, of course, you’ve got four provinces that are involved so the challenge here is to pull all the ideas together and reach a consensus on what is really needed in Atlantic Canada,” Capt. Al Soppitt, president and chief executive officer of the Saint John Port Authority, said.
The Asia-Pacific Gateway, which stretches from Manitoba to British Columbia, has seen federal, provincial and municipal governments invest more than $2.3 billion since 2006 in infrastructure projects across the region, including federal contributions of more than $860 million.
Vancouver has secured its position as Canada’s top port, with 38.6 million tonnes handled in 2006, and Prince Rupert, its neighbour to the north, is growing quickly.
“The Pacific has been talking about this for many years,” LeRoux said.
“But it’s just one province (that has port access), so it’s much easier to plan than with three or four. But Atlantic Canada has started to collaborate more too.”
Soppitt added: “The Pacific had to react to the significant growth in China, and they had to move quickly. And now they’re in the pro-active mode and the rest of us are in line to prepare for this…”
While acknowledging Halifax is better situated to receive shipments from Europe and Asia, Soppitt said Saint John could benefit from its proximity to Brazil and other South American countries.
“Halifax has the advantage of its proximity to the Suez Canal,” Soppitt said.
“We have a bit of a disadvantage going across the Atlantic, but we want to situate ourselves to run north-south.”
During the conference, representatives from Atlantic ports will work to come up with a united plan to make the region attractive for as a transportation gateway, Soppitt said.
“We need to get the provinces together in unison and come out with a business strategy that we can submit collectively to Ottawa.”
© 2008 Telegraph-Journal (New Brunswick)
