REGINA — This city’s ambitiously titled “Global Transportation Hub” just took a big step toward living up to its name.

The Yanke Group of Companies has just announced a $20-million investment in the intermodal facility; which means Yanke is joining two other charter tenants, Canadian Pacific and Canadian Logistics Services, which serves the Loblaw Group of Companies.

The Global Transportation Hub (GTH) consists of 2,000 specially designated acres of industrial and commercial property designed to spur provincial economic development by providing more efficient access to global supply chains for Saskatchewan exporters.

When Yanke President and CEO Russell Marcoux announced his company’s investment today, he was joined by GTH Board Chair Wayne Elhard and Saskatchewan’s Minister responsible for the GTH, Jim Reiter.

Yanke and its affiliate AFI Distribution Group’s 40-acre project will be the next major transportation and logistics center at the Global Transportation Hub. Yanke’s presence will mean between 400 to 500 truck loads per week to the GTH and 40 new jobs to the city.

Yanke sees the GTH as a paradigm shift for the trucking and transportation industry in Saskatchewan."

The concept plan for the site involves expansion, the development of new service offerings and "greater efficiencies for each of our operating entities,” Marcoux said.

“The potential and the infrastructure are a great fit for our operations as the major anchor tenants of the GTH have long-standing relationships with Yanke.”

Yanke’s initial plan encompasses an intermodal and OTR yard along with an expansion of AFI Distribution Group’s services which include refrigerated warehousing and transportation.

Yanke will also develop a storage yard for containers to facilitate supply and fluidity for shippers, including a transload bulk or bagged operation and a refrigerated warehouse.