Canada’s government to invest C$23 million in Global Agriculture Trans-Loading Inc.
CANADA -The government of Canada is investing up to C$23 million in Global Agriculture Trans-Loading Inc. (GATL) to double its operations in the transportation of agricultural produce.
The multi-million investment is part of the National Trade Corridors Fund and will likely expand rail capacity in Surrey, British Columbia.
The NTCF is a competitive and merit-based C$4.7 billion fund that helps fund infrastructure projects in Canada, including airports, ports, railways, transportation facilities, and access roads.
The GATL investment will go to fund a three-track rail spur, new container lifts, railcar pushers, conveyor belt systems, and bagging equipment.
According to the government of Canada, the improvements to rail infrastructure and capacity will allow GATL to double its operations and help move agricultural products and grain between different modes of transportation more efficiently.
“The National Trade Corridor Fund will enable Global Agriculture Trans-Loading to double current transload exports of agricultural goods from 750,000 to 1.5 million tonnes of goods within their existing facility site, allowing it to facilitate C$1 billion in exports per year,” said Johnny Sangha, chief executive officer of GATL.
The Canadian government recognizes that the GATL Expansion Project will alleviate bottlenecks along export routes, decrease costs and make Canadian products more competitive abroad.
“This project will make GATL an even more valuable connection point between Canadian specialty agriculture export supply chain and rapidly expanding Indo-Pacific and South American markets,” Sangha added.
Omar Alghabra, minister of transport for the government of Canada, added that Canadian exporters rely heavily on a strong supply chain.
“This investment will help reduce delays and bottlenecks while transferring agricultural products from one mode of transportation to another, ensuring Canada’s products reach global markets efficiently, ” he commented.
Omar added that the increased capacity of GATL would also help grow the economy and create good, middle-class jobs for many Canadian citizens.
GATL’s trans-loading facility is strategically located central to all terminals and railways, and neighbors Western Canada’s largest rail terminal, CN Thornton Rail.
This strategic position keeps GATL connected to major rail intermodal terminals and docks such as the Sea Port Terminal, Delta port, Fraser Surrey Docks, and Port Metro Vancouver docks.
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