Canada’s Minister of Transport, Pablo Rodriguez, along With Member of Parliament for Steveston-Richmond East Parm Bains 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,” said Rodriguez.
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, the government claims that 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.
