Written by GORDON HOEKSTRA
Citizen staff
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Wednesday, 27 August 2008 |
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DON ZUROWSKIMAYOR COLIN KINSLEYPRINCE RUPERTINITIATIVES PRINCE GEORGE
The City of Prince George, a pair of economic development agencies, and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing announced Wednesday they've reached an agreement aimed at strengthening the awareness of trade opportunities shared by northern B.C. and China.
The agreement calls for co-operation to promote Canada's northwest corridor for logistics, manufacturing and trade.
The Northwest Corridor Corp. and Initiatives Prince George, the city's economic development agency, also signed onto the agreement.
The agreement provide the chance for the parties to promote and advertise the northwest corridor on the Chinese group's website, newspapers and conferences.
"China is, and will become an even more important, economic partner for Prince George and northern B.C.," said Mayor Colin Kinsley. "This (agreement) will support expansion of the transportation opportunities that characterize the next wave of growth," he said.
The northwest corridor, represented by the Northwest Corridor Corp., stretches from northern Manitoba to the Port of Prince Rupert in northern B.C.
The China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) has 200 institutions in its network and represents more than 3,000 companies. Its focus is to serve the growing logistics and purchasing industry in China.
The agreement resulted from a northern B.C. trade mission to China in June, which included about 30 business and municipal leaders including Kinsley and the mayors of Prince Rupert, Mackenzie and Fort St. John.
Don Zurowski, the chair of the Northwest Development Corp., stressed the agreement has benefits for the region. "By aggregating our trade and transportation messaging capabilities, we can do much more effective marketing in China," said Zurowski, a Prince George city councillor.
Both government and industry investment has been beefing up the northwest corridor's potential, particularly in northern B.C.
A $170-million container-handling terminal at Prince Rupert is meant to handle increasing cargo traffic between Asian and North America, while a $39-million runway expansion underway at the Prince George Airport is meant to handle large planes that carry air cargo.
CN also completed a $20-million container loading facility in Prince George.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 27 August 2008 )
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