The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority says surging grain and oil exports drove a record amount of cargo through its gates in the first half of the year as part of a push away from U.S. markets.
The federal agency says freight volumes at the Port of Vancouver rose three per cent year-over-year for the six months ended June 30.
Bulk grain exports jumped 14 per cent to a record 17.4 million tonnes, while crude oil exports rose three per cent to a record 12 million tonnes.
A big chunk of the commodities shipments were bound for the Indo-Pacific, as East Asia soaked up Alberta crude while China, Europe and Mexico imported canola seed.
Faced with a more protectionist United States, port authority CEO Peter Xotta says he wants to help Canada double its exports to non-U.S. markets within a decade, with America already accounting for only a fifth of crude exports through Vancouver terminals versus one-third the year before.
Auto volumes through the port also rose 10 per cent year-over-year in the first half of 2026, as carmakers sought alternatives to the U.S. market.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 21, 2026.
Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press
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