BCTA welcomes provincial commitment to expanding Asian markets

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LANGLEY, B.C. — The B.C. Trucking Association (BCTA) is lauding a $25-billion provincial strategy to expand markets and infrastructure for B.C. goods.

The province announced an ambitious plan to expand the Asian markets for B.C. products and will bolster infrastructure to help get those products to those markets.

The BCTA says the initiative marks the province’s commitment to “the most significant economic expansion opportunity in a generation.”

The association says the province’s trucking industry will benefit from increased road, rail and terminal capacity as well as the overall boost to B.C.’s economy.

“BCTA applauds the province’s vision in pursuing opportunities in the Asia Pacific and providing support for the necessary infrastructure here,” BCTA president and CEO Louise Yako said. “The strategies that the province announced today – including a $700-million investment in increased capacity for key highways, additional investments in road and rail capacity, and increased container terminal capacity at B.C. ports – all open doors for B.C. carriers ready and willing to take part in this exciting opportunity.”

On May 2, the association will be hosting a one-day conference in Surrey for motor carriers, featuring speakers from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, Transport Canada, Port Metro Vancouver, local terminal operators, the Asia-Pacific Gateway Skills Table and others.

“By 2020, Asia-Pacific container traffic to North America could generate $76 billion for B.C. and $230 billion for Canada,” Yako said. “We’re working to support the industry in understanding what we’ll need in terms of people, equipment and systems to facilitate and benefit from this level of trade.”

Information on the conference is available here.

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