The Canadian Trucking Alliance is applauding Transport Canada’s announcements this week to prioritize vital international freight corridors across Canada.
“The quality of Canada’s transportation infrastructure and the efficiency of the country’s trade corridors are key to the success of Canadian firms in the global marketplace,” Transport Canada stated in a news release.
Added CTA president, Stephen Laskowski: “These important investments to Canada’s critical transportation links and freight infrastructure are welcome news to the trucking industry as we seek to improve freight flow efficiency and bolster economic productivity at major transportation hubs and corridors across Canada.”
Three major projects the government announced include:
- $45.8 million in funding for road infrastructure in the City of Montréal adjacent to the Port of Montréal to improve the fluidity and efficiency of the road network by providing a direct link between the Port of Montreal and highways to reduce congestion on Notre-Dame St and ensure containers continually move from the terminals. The work will involve extending De l’Assomption Boulevard between Notre-Dame and Pierre-de-Coubertin streets, making it possible to connect a new road at the port exit to the future extension of Souligny Avenue. A road link will be created between the port and the Trans-Canada highway.
- $55.8 million for four projects led by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, including the addition of nearly 5 km of track at the Canadian Pacific Facility, reconstruction of Harris Road to provide four lanes that will travel beneath the existing Canadian Pacific railway, and construction of a new two-lane overpass to replace the crossing at Kennedy Road in Pitt Meadows; upgrade of the existing Westwood Street and Kingsway Avenue intersections at the railway corridor to separate road traffic from rail traffic on the municipal boundary between the Cities of Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam; design work to raise Pitt River Road and Colony Farm Road to create overpasses of the existing rail corridor (and Lougheed Road) that will allow for a new 5 km-long section of track beneath these two crossings permitting trains to travel in both directions in Coquitlam; and improvements at the existing Canadian Pacific railway overpass at Mountain Highway that include lowering the roadway to provide additional clearance for oversized cargo travelling under the railway bridge in North Vancouver.
- $39 million for improvements to a railway crossing in Edmonton, including a new underpass beneath the existing railway crossing north of the Sherwood Park Freeway; two new traffic lanes on 50 Street, increasing the total number of lanes from four to six; the realignment and reconstruction of the intersection at 82 Avenue and 50 Street.
- $9.2 million for a project at Ashcroft Terminal, including a new rail link to Canadian National Railway’s main rail line and an extra rail track to allow rail cars to be parked and assembled into longer trains as well as an internal two-way road network under the rail line to ensure rail and truck operations do not interfere with each other while also increasing the operational efficiency at the terminal. The construction of a multi-commodity and storage warehouse will also be built.
“Our government is investing in Canada’s economy by making improvements to our trade and transportation corridors. We are supporting projects that will efficiently move commercial goods to market and people to their destinations, stimulate economic growth, create quality middle-class jobs, and ensure that Canada’s transportation networks remain competitive and efficient,” Transport Minister Marc Garneau said in a press release.