Ottawa merges Metro Vancouver's three port authorities

[hollywoodnorth]

Friday, December 21, 2007 2:11:41 PM

Ottawa merges Metro Vancouver's three port authorities

The federal government has formally amalgamated the Metro Vancouver's three port authorities.

As of January 1, 2008, Fraser River, North Fraser and Vancouver will be the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA).

It will manage more than 130 million tonnes of cargo and employ more than 55,200 people in the region.

The merged port authority, which is a key part of the government's Asia-Pacific Gateway, is expected to improve port efficiency and port planning in a time of increasing competition for cargo delivery in the Pacific Northwest.

The new VFPA board and executive will be approved January 1. Some executives from the three port authorities are expected to fill senior management roles.

In September, VFPA transition CEO Captain Gordon Houston announced a number of executive appointments to the new port authority:

Chris Badger, the VPA's vice-president of customer development and operations, will become the VFPA's COO;

Allan Baydala, president and CEO of the North Fraser Port Authority, will become the VFPA's CFO;

Allen Domass, president and CEO of the Fraser River Port Authority, will become the VFPA's chief sustainability officer;

Lori Lindahl, the VPA's vice-president of corporate services, will become the VFPA's vice-president of human resources;

Tom Winkler, the VPA's vice-president and CFO, will become the VFPA's chief strategic development officer;

Peter Xotta, the VPA's business development group director, will become the VFPA's vice-president of business development;

Graham Kee, the VPA's director of operations and security, will become the VFPA's vice-president of security operations;

Gary Brush, the FRPA's vice-president of finance and administration, will become the VFPA's vice-president of corporate services; and

Tom Corsie, the FRPA's vice-president of property development, will become the VFPA's vice-president of infrastructure development.

Xotta and Kee will report to Badger; Brush and Tom will report to Winkler. The other executives will report directly to the CEO.

[hollywoodnorth]

December 21, 2007

Ports to Amalgamate January 1
Fraser River, North Fraser and Vancouver port authorities become
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority

Metro Vancouver: The three Lower Mainland ports today received confirmation that the federal government has issued the "Certificate of Amalgamation" that combines the Fraser River Port Authority, the North Fraser Port Authority, and the Vancouver Port Authority. The effective date of amalgamation of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA) will be January 1, 2008.

The amalgamation of the three Canada Port Authorities is a key policy measure under the Government of Canada's "Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative." The provincial government has also voiced its support for the amalgamation.

"We are pleased to receive the confirmation of amalgamation that will allow us to complete the process to become one Canada Port Authority," said Sarah Morgan-Silvester, Chair, Lower Mainland Port Amalgamation Transition Committee. "We look forward to maximizing our contribution to Lower Mainland communities, and regional and national economies."

As part of the amalgamation process, the three port authorities have developed blended functional teams that include representatives from each authority who have been working cooperatively since early 2007 toward the same amalgamation goals.

The VFPA's jurisdiction will encompass the combined land, water and assets of the existing three Canada Port Authorities. The amalgamated port will be well positioned to better coordinate port planning and develop new investment opportunities that will facilitate the circulation of goods to and from foreign markets. The VFPA will also have greater resources for land acquisition, river management and strategic infrastructure investments.

"With a broader scope and more influence, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority will be able to further enrich our community partnerships and better commit to improving our levels of customer service," said Gordon Houston, Chair, Lower Mainland Port Amalgamation Steering Committee.

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority will operate from the three existing port offices located in New Westminster, Richmond and at Canada Place in Vancouver.

The VFPA's eleven-member Board of Directors will be announced on January 1, 2008.