The Association of Canadian Port Authorities (ACPA) welcomed the New Building Canada Plan, and commended the federal Government for its commitment to enhancing the country’s economic competitiveness by ensuring Canada has world-class infrastructure in place.
The eighteen Canada Port Authorities (CPAs) handle over 60 per cent of Canada’s water-borne cargo. ACPA’s President, Wendy Zatylny, welcomed the inclusion of “port infrastructure” as an eligible category under the National Infrastructure Component, explaining that, “CPAs operate in a highly-competitive industry that requires constant improvement in port capacity and port productivity. CPAs have invested heavily to ensure they are at the forefront of global competitiveness, but much more remains to be done.” A recent study conducted by ACPA and Transport Canada identified a $5.8 billion gap in funds required to support port infrastructure projects.
The benefits of ensuring that maximum volumes pass through a highly productive port system can be significant: a recent OECD study entitled “The Competitiveness of Global Port Cities” noted that one tonne of port throughput is on average associated with $100 of economic value added, and an increase of one million tonnes of port throughput leads to an extra 300 jobs in the port region.