Latest news with #OneCanadianEconomyandBuildingCanadaAct

Calgary Herald

Gondek urges federal government to consider Prairie Economic Gateway for national interest projects list

Calgary's mayor is hoping a future 'inland port' and trade hub will make its way onto Prime Minister Mark Carney's national projects list. Article content Prairie Economic Gateway is a partnership between Calgary and Rocky View County that aims to develop Alberta's first rail-served inland port. According to Gondek, the interprovincial trade and manufacturing hub, which would be on the border of southeast Calgary and Rocky View County, will enable more industrial development and bolster Canada's manufacturing sector. Article content Article content Article content 'This nation-building project is ready to proceed as a public-private partnership, offering immediate and long-term benefits for Alberta and for Canada,' Gondek wrote in an Aug. 1 letter to federal energy minister Tim Hodgson and intergovernmental affairs minister Dominic LeBlanc. Article content Article content City council approved early plans for the Prairie Economic Gateway concept in February. The rail-served port, which Gondek said will also include manufacturing and logistics facilities, is estimated to take 10 to 12 years to come to fruition. Article content 'Prairie Economic Gateway has the ability to become the strongest inland port in North America,' Gondek said. 'And this isn't just a someday idea. The planning is done, the approvals are in place and the partners are ready.' Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy and Building Canada Act, intends to accelerate the approval and development of infrastructure projects deemed to be in the national interest. The legislation received parliamentary approval in June, and Carney has asked each province to compile a list of potential projects for consideration. Article content Article content The projects should fulfill a number of criteria, such as strengthening Canada's autonomy and resiliency, providing economic benefit, advancing the interests of Indigenous Peoples and aligning with federal climate objectives. Article content The city claims Prairie Economic Gateway will generate $7 billion in economic activity and create more than 30,000 jobs by leveraging the inland port's location near the existing CPKC rail network, allowing for greater interprovincial trade and improved access to global distribution markets. Article content 'Minister Hodgson has been clear that ports and trade infrastructure will be the backbone of Canada's next wave of nation-building investments,' Gondek said at a news conference on Monday. 'Prairie Economic Gateway complements and in most cases, out competes what other regions are putting forward, while others are focused on single season ports or limited routes.'