Canada invests $25M to support Saint John Trade Corridor project

The Government of Canada announced an investment of up to $254 million through the Trade Diversification Corridors Fund to support the Saint John Trade Corridor project, in partnership with the Government of New Brunswick’s Regional Development Corporation, the Saint John Port Authority, New Brunswick Southern Railway, and the New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure. 

“By modernizing our transportation system, we are helping move goods more quickly, strengthening supply chains, attracting investment, and reinforcing Canada’s position as a reliable trading partner,” said Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport.

The Saint John Trade Corridor project will expand warehouse capacity, supporting higher-value cargo and lower dwell-times. Dredging and marine service upgrades will increase tidal windows, reduce tide-related delays, and accommodate larger vessels.

Building on recent investments, including over $76 million through the National Trade Corridors Fund (NTCF), this project will see the:

• Expansion and upgrade of port warehouses.
• Establishment of a new Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) container examination facility, staffed by a portion of the 1,000 newly recruited officers.
• Dredging and rehabilitation of marine infrastructure to improve operations, which will increase the number of high-water tidal windows by at least 30 per cent for fully loaded vessels at deeper draughts and increase the safety and optimization of vessel movements.
• Stabilization of the Bayshore Rail Terminal shoreline to protect the only rail access to Port Saint John and safeguarding essential rail and port operations. The preservation of existing rail capacity and terminal functionality will support continued Port growth and trade activity.
• An upgrade of 103 km of New Brunswick Southern Railway track with continuously welded rail, which will deliver improvements to this rail corridor, including increasing mainline speed to 64 km/h, reducing freight transit times between Port Saint John and Class 1 railways, increasing freight capacity and fluidity to/from Port Saint John and increasing rail safety.
• Reconstruction of Simms Corner to separate rail and road traffic, improving safety and reducing delays.

“New Brunswick has what the world wants, and we’re investing in the infrastructure to get our goods to markets across Canada and around the world,” said New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt.

Featured image: (Government of Canada)