BUILT ON TRADE
BY KYLE LARKIN
Canada’s grain sector is built on trade, but without modern infrastructure, the foundation is cracking. The sector exports more than 70 per cent of its output. When infrastructure fails, the financial and reputational damage is immediate. Delays at port or along key corridors impact farmers financially and undermine Canada’s reliability as a global supplier of high-quality grain.
Recently, the federal government unveiled its list of priority projects to advance under Canada’s new Major Projects Office. Mines, energy projects and container terminals made the cut, but Canada’s largest and most important export gateway, the Port of Vancouver and its aging rail chokepoints, did not.
Over half of Canada’s grain exports flow through the Port of Vancouver. Canada’s supply chain is one bridge failure away from crisis. Take, for example, the Second Narrows Rail Bridge. Opened in 1969, the bridge remains the only rail connection to Vancouver’s North Shore and half of the grain terminals. Due to increased traffic further down the Vancouver Harbour, the bridge continues to act as a chokepoint for westbound grain shipments. If it became inoperable, there is no alternate route. This vulnerability threatens Canada’s competitiveness and reputation.
Further south, the George Massey Tunnel presents an equally limiting challenge. Its shallow design prevents Panamax vessels from reaching potential terminal space along the Fraser River. A deeper, modern tunnel structure would allow larger ships to access new capacity, relieve pressure on the main port and improve efficiency.
These issues point to a broader failure to modernize the infrastructure that supports Canadian exports. The most recent announcement may have signalled nation-building intent, but unless critical trade chokepoints are prioritized, Canada’s agenda and economic potential will fall short.
Our international customers also pay attention. Ongoing delays and limited capacity create uncertainty and undermine Canada’s reputation as a reliable supplier. Global markets demand increased certainty, and this perception gap is becoming a competitive liability.
Without an upgrade to key infrastructure, we miss the opportunity to grow our share of global agricultural trade. The solution is not complicated but requires political will. Canada needs a long-term infrastructure strategy to improve the movement of grain from farm to port. This requires identifying and addressing bottlenecks, expanding access to new capacity and building for the volumes of the future, not just the demands of today.
Action is urgently required. Infrastructure takes years to plan and build. Delays make it harder to catch up with our competitors. There is no shortage of studies, recommendations or consultation submissions. What we lack is meaningful follow-through.
Calls for nation building projects highlight the role infrastructure plays in shaping Canada’s future. Agriculture remains one of our largest export sectors. Moving grain efficiently must be a national priority, not an afterthought. Any serious plan for long-term growth cannot ignore the corridors that connect Canadian products to global markets.
The federal government has a role to play, but solutions also require strong co-ordination with provinces, municipalities and industry partners. Whether it is expediting project approvals, the removal of regulatory hurdles or prioritization of funding for high-impact trade corridors, collaboration is necessary.
We will continue to push for investments that strengthen the capacity of our supply chains. This includes modernization of key infrastructure, creation of new export opportunities along corridors such as the Fraser River and ensuring the system can meet rising global demand.
We urge the federal government to make investments where they are needed most, at the ports, terminals and transportation links that keep grain moving, by designating the Port of Vancouver and its connecting rail infrastructure as projects of national significance.
While Canada’s grain sector continues to deliver world-class products, our supply chain must be just as reliable, ambitious and prepared to compete.
Kyle Larkin is the executive director of GGC.
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