Alberta Supports Export Corridor to Prince Rupert Port

The government of Alberta is supporting the construction of infrastructure connecting to the Port of Prince Rupert, aiming to boost its exports, including energy products.

The government said in a news release it is providing an approximately $180,000 (CAD 250,000) grant to the Prince Rupert Port Authority to coordinate the Industrial Heartland to British Columbia Economic Corridor Forum. The project will focus on the highway and railway corridor between the Industrial Heartland and Prince Rupert, recognizing the Port of Prince Rupert’s importance for the export of Alberta products.

The Port of Prince Rupert, which is operated by the Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA), is of strategic interest to Alberta’s trade with other countries, according to the release. In 2022, $2.76 billion (CAD 3.8 billion) of Alberta’s merchandise exports, primarily propane, agricultural products and wood pulp, were shipped via the port.

Devin Dreeshen, Alberta Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, said, “Establishing this forum is crucial to gaining access to tidewater for Alberta’s commodities, including energy, agriculture and forestry projects. Working with CN and other industry and community partners, the Prince Rupert Port Authority will look at opportunities to expand this economic corridor. It will provide ways to expand market access for our products”.

PRPA President and CEO Shaun Stevenson said, “Alberta has always been a significant export origin for the Port and promises to be even more so as the Port expands its capacity and capabilities. The Prince Rupert Port Authority welcomes the opportunity to work with the Government of Alberta and supply chain partners to engage with key stakeholders to proactively identify and analyze strategic opportunities and challenges that come with facilitating future growth”.

In facilitating this project, the Prince Rupert Port Authority plans to invite participation from industry organizations, associations, municipalities and Indigenous communities, as well as other transportation and logistics experts, to explore opportunities along the corridor.

The forum will help determine and prioritize issues, identify opportunities and develop recommendations related to the Highway 16 corridor between the Industrial Heartland near Edmonton and British Columbia, according to the release.

Mark Plamondon, executive director of the Alberta Industrial Heartland Association, said, “Improving efficient, cost-effective and resilient supply chains to export products to port and beyond is critical to improving the competitiveness of Alberta’s Industrial Heartland (AIH). Billions of dollars of future investment are dependent on Alberta-made and value-added energy products through West Coast ports to global customers. The forum is a critical strategy to unleash AIH’s potential to enhance our international competitiveness”.

In May, joint venture (JV) partners AltaGas Ltd. and Royal Vopak made a final investment decision (FID) on the Ridley Island Energy Export Facility (REEF), a large-scale liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and bulk liquids terminal with rail, logistics and marine infrastructure on Ridley Island, British Columbia.

REEF will be developed on a 190-acre (77-hectare) site adjacent to AltaGas’ and Vopak’s existing Ridley Island Propane Export Terminal (RIPET), on lands administered by the PRPA where the JV has a long-term lease, according to an earlier news release.

The project, set to be developed and brought online in phases, will have the capability to facilitate the export of LPGs, methanol and other bulk liquids. Phase 1 will include approximately 55,000 barrels a day of initial LPG export capacity, including propane and butane, 600,000 barrels of LPG storage, a new dedicated multi-product jetty, and extensive rail and logistics infrastructure.

To contact the author, email rocky.teodoro@rigzone.com