BC's Premier gushes over his gateway

Gordon Campbell has taken pen in hand and compiled his thoughts on how the Pacific Gateway brings British Columbia on the verge of a great century of growth.

Publishing his civics term paper in the Vancouver Sun, he touches on many of the themes he used on his visit to Prince Rupert at the opening of the Fairview Container Terminal. He goes on however, to include almost every corner of the province (and the country) as those standing to benefit from the westward flow of trade to Asia and beyond.

Heavy on potential and a look to the future, the Premier proclaims that everything from roads to jobs, will benefit says he from this new Federal/Provincial partnership, leading to a Pacific century.

Perhaps a (very early) indication of the theme for his next electoral campaign, as he tries to tie together his twin themes of economic growth and concern for the environment.


Aiming to be the gateway to the Pacific Century
Gordon Campbell
Special to the Sun
Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Fifty years ago, the St. Lawrence Seaway opened as North America's transportation gateway for growing trade with burgeoning postwar European economies.

It connected the North Atlantic Europe with the heart of North America. It has been an economic engine ever since, not just for Quebec and Ontario but for all of Canada.

Today, we have a similar opportunity on Canada's Pacific Coast. The world's fastest-growing economies are in Asia. The largest economy on the planet is to our south. In this emerging Pacific Century, B.C. is Canada's Pacific Gateway and because of our rich cultural diversity, we can become North America's gateway to the Pacific as well. Lasting friendships with Japan, China, India and Korea will help drive our trade expansion across the Pacific just as the Seaway drove a half-century of Atlantic growth.

B.C.'s natural competitive advantages are clear. Our ports are North America's closest to Asia, saving shippers up to 58 hours of sailing time and money. Our routes are also the most sustainable. A direct sailing from Asia to Vancouver or Prince Rupert could release up to 1,800 tonnes less carbon dioxide each way, versus a sailing to Los Angeles or Long Beach, Calif.

These advantages increase B.C.'s future opportunities. By 2020, China is forecast to be the world's second-largest economy, Asia-Pacific container trade is forecast to increase a staggering 300 per cent, and air passenger traffic is expected to double. Today, there is not enough capacity along the Pacific Coast of North America to meet that demand.

To capitalize on B.C.'s potential, the province is investing heavily in transportation. If we are going to optimize our benefits, we need a transportation system that satisfies both our customers and our communities. That's why the Pacific Gateway is a partnership that brings together governments, communities, industry and people to balance economic, social and environmental considerations.

Our Gateway stretches from Prince Rupert to Vancouver. It includes Prince George, Cranbrook and the Kicking Horse Canyon. Its full benefits reach right across the country. Public and private investments in port, air, road and rail improvements will total about $13 billion. The Pacific Gateway investments smooth the flow of goods and enhance the lives of all Canadians.
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Our investments will build vibrant, sustainable communities with rapid transit connecting Vancouver International Airport, Richmond, Vancouver and the Tri-Cities. We are building a new Port Mann Bridge. That will reduce congestion and bring rapid bus service to the Port Mann corridor for the first time in 20 years. Up to 2,700 transit passengers per hour will benefit. The Evergreen Line will be built as soon as possible and $50 million has been added to BC Transit's budget to purchase new, clean buses and expand public transit service.

A new South Fraser perimeter road will connect Deltaport and the Tsawwassen ferry terminal with the Trans-Canada Highway and the new Pitt River and Golden Ears Bridges will help move goods and people north of the Fraser into the Fraser Valley. Rail services are being enhanced and transportation conflicts mitigated with a $300 million investment in nine rail overpasses in Lower Mainland communities.

North America's newest container terminal is now open in Prince Rupert with more expansion to come. Deltaport Berth 3 at the Port of Vancouver opens in 2009 and plans are underway to construct another container terminal at Roberts Bank. By 2020, we are aiming for a fourfold increase in container ship traffic within the Pacific Gateway.

The Pacific Gateway brings 45,000 high-paying jobs for Canadians by 2020, with 32,000 in B.C. Each percentage point in container market share in 2020 will be worth approximately 4,000 jobs. Each time an Asia-Pacific air service operated by a foreign carrier and local crew lands at YVR, close to 795 hours of employment are generated. Every time a cargo jet from the U.S. lands at YVR, more than 200 hours of employment are generated.

The Pacific Gateway ties major infrastructure projects together -- transit, rail, airports, ports, roads and bridges -- to work better, smarter and with reduced congestion. It will reduce gridlock, increase productivity and reduce the impacts of transportation on our environment.
A federal provincial partnership built the Saint Lawrence Seaway. The new Pacific Gateway federal provincial partnership will guide Canada to a Pacific Century.

Gordon Campbell is premier of British Columbia.