Feds to spend nearly $150M to bolster infrastructure at Vancouver and Nanaimo, B.C. ports

VANCOUVER—A series of major upgrade and expansion projects at two ports on Canada’s West Coast have secured the backing of the federal government.

In separate funding announcements this week, Ottawa said it will spend $102 million to support work at the Port of Vancouver and $46.2 million to back a scale-up project at the nearby Port of Nanaimo.

Both projects involve infrastructure work in and around the ports, as well as expansions to terminals aimed at increasing capacity.

Nearly half of the federal funds for the Port of Vancouver project will go toward consolidating the Annacis Auto Terminal and the Richmond Terminal to make way for more vehicle shipments to and from Asia. Among other projects, Ottawa has also set aside $39.4 million to help pay for construction work that will reduce gridlock in the Portside/Blundell corridor in Richmond and $12.2 million to develop new rail-serviced bulk terminals in Fraser Surrey Port Lands.

All told, the Vancouver port infrastructure work is expected to create 2320 jobs during construction.

Across the Georgia Strait in Nanaimo, B.C., the federal funds will go toward expanding the port’s existing wharf from 182 metres to 325 metres, adding two new cranes and increasing the size of the terminal’s storage area. A new warehouse, administrative and maintenance building, as well as upgrades to electrical and sewer systems are also part of the project.

Work at the Vancouver Island port is expected to create 900 jobs.