Quote:
Originally Posted by sailor734
|
I think Don Dom would have been more positive if that was the case
LeBlanc said, "major projects that cross interprovincial boundaries are likely to win priority." I'd argue the port is already inherently interprovincial, and that linkages and connections between the port and other provinces can always be increased. To be fair to LeBlanc, he did immediately go on to say that port expansion projects could be addressed by the new trade corridors fund.
• Video Link
Actually in this interview, that DyAm00394 posted above, the port's CEO told a story (@ 10:00) how CPKC got after the port to get the slips filled in quicker than they thought was possible, and how they rose to the challenge and got them filled quicker with a $42 million investment from the National Trade Corridor Fund. I'd like to see more of that attitude from our politicians in New Brunswick. Carney definitely seems to have that attitude, but do Don Dom and Susan Holt have that attitude too? I'd sure as hell hope so, especially since LeBlanc is in charge of the "One Canadian Economy" project.
Filling in the slip between AIM and that derelict pier, along with remediating and expanding to the south of the former sugar refinery site would give the port a lot more room to expand, and branch off into new ventures.
I don't think Dominic LeBlanc could honestly argue against Port Saint John expansion as a project of national interest. I'm sure this is going to come up many times again, and I hope New Brunswick's leaders rise to the occasion with some bigger ideas and follow the Prime Minister's lead.
• Video Link
Look how much potash from Saskatchewan is exported around the world through the Port Saint John... and think of how many more things could be exported through the Port of Saint John if we see even more port expansion in the inner harbour, and maybe even a new, deepwater port at Lorneville. Like to me, these type of expansions are the type of development that could actually live up to the Prime Minister's guidelines given to the premiers to be ambitious with projects that "Build big, and build bold".
Fixing an intersection and upgrading some rail lines just doesn't seem big enough, not based on what the PM has been talking about for months now. I'm not sure why Premier Holt and her team haven't floated some bigger ideas for Port Saint John expansion yet, but I'm hopeful they still will. I also think she should be bold, and try and get the Trans Canada Highway linked up to Saint John, Canada's fastest growing container port. I think it would very much line up with the goals of creating a national transportation corridor.
Imagine if they actually push for Port Saint John to get a deepwater port at Lorneville beside the industrial park... the possibilities for what could be manufactured and exported would be immense.
A mass timber manufacturing plant at the industrial park, and warehouses for the finished product at the port of Saint John could be deemed a project of national interest. New Brunswick has a very robust forestry sector on its own, but lumber used for mass timber manufacturing could be sourced from all around Canada and linked to the Port of Saint John.
There's a huge export opportunity for Canadian mass timber to be exported to Europe, which is perhaps the largest single market for carbon friendly building materials like mass timber. Such a project for mass timber manufacturing with national and provincial funding could set New Brunswick up to have an industry that would be rising to the moment in response to Carney's national housing strategy that's calling for increasing the production of modular homebuilding, mass timber construction, and modern prefabrication technologies.
Here's hoping Holt and co think big and ensure that some Port Saint John expansion projects do end up qualify for funding as "projects national interest", as well as other projects related to the port that qualify for funding from the new trade corridors fund!
Prev
Linear Mode
