Construction will begin later this year on a new road-rail utility corridor (RRUC) at the Port of Prince Rupert's Ridley Island terminal after International Trade Minister Ed Fast confirmed Thursday the federal government's $15-million contribution to the project.
Fast's announcement matches a commitment from B.C. Premier Christy Clark made in September while the Prince Rupert Port Authority and CN Rail have each contributed $30 million to the project.
"This project will create local jobs, economic growth and prosperity for workers and businesses, while supporting Canada's broad and ambitious pro-trade plan," Fast said in a press release. "Investments in projects such as the RRUC are strengthening our competitive advantages and further positioning Canada as the gateway of choice for global supply chains between Asia and North America."
The project consists of three inbound and two outbound tracks for coal, potash and other bulk terminal developments, two additional tracks that form a loop around the main part of Ridley Island and one new track that extends off the rail loop towards Ridley Terminals.
The project also includes 69 kilovolt and water utility connections into the middle of the island to support bulk terminal development as well as road improvements along the new rail corridor.
The expected start date for the project is mid-2012, with an anticipated completion date in 2014. The work will create more than 570 direct construction jobs over the life of the project and will further provide up to 4,000 operational jobs after all construction is complete.
"It literally paves the way for bulk, container, and logistics terminal developments that will create employment and other economic opportunities along our North American trade routes," said Prince Rupert Port Authority CEO Don Krusel.
"Today's investment by the Government of Canada is the capstone on a unique partnership encompassing the public and private sectors."
Construction is anticipated to begin in mid-to-late 2012, with a completion date in 2014.
Not to be confused with the Fairview container terminal in Prince Rupert, 720 kilometres west of Prince George, the Ridley terminal loads metallurgical and thermal coal, petroleum coke, wood pellets, and has the potential to ship other products such as sulfur.
The project is the first phase of a larger $300-million development that includes increasing Fairview's capacity to 700,000 containers annually over the next year or two from the current 500,000 and then to two million over the longer term, compared to 2.5 million at the Port of Vancouver.
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