SASKATOON — The federal overnment has launched its Port of Vancouver Gateway Strategy to help meet its lofty goal of doubling exports to non-U.S. markets by 2035.
The strategy has been referred to prime minister Mark Carney’s new Major Projects Office (MPO).
The MPO was established in August 2025 to advance nation-building projects faster by streamlining and accelerating regulatory approvals and by helping to structure and coordinate financing of projects.
The port moves $1 billion in goods every day and handles 40 per cent of Canada’s trade beyond the North American market.
The government stated in a press release that longstanding infrastructure constraints need to be addressed at the port if Canada is to meet its trade diversification objective.
More than half of Canada’s grain exports leave the country through the Port of Vancouver.
The main pillar of the government’s Gateway Strategy is the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 (RBT2) project, a proposed three-berth container terminal that would increase the port’s container capacity by 50 per cent.
That project has been referred to the MPO for potential listing as a project of national interest under the Building Canada Act.
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RBT2 has already undergone more than a decade of regulatory reviews. The project completed a federal impact assessment in 2023, receiving key environmental approvals and is now awaiting final permits. It also has mutual benefit agreements in place with 27 First Nations.
“Listing allows the Minister of the One Canadian Economy to bring RBT2 under one single regulatory window,” stated the government press release.
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority applauded the government’s new Gateway Strategy.
“Through this strategy, we are one step closer to unlocking $100 billion in additional (annual) trade capacity through our proposed Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project and positioned to grow our bulk and rail capacity to help Canadian businesses get their products to market,” the port said in a press release.
The port recently selected TerraMarine as its construction partner for the landmass and wharf component of the RBT2 project.
Construction is supposed to begin in 2028 with terminal operations expected to start in the mid-2030s.
The port also recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Global Container Terminals (GCT) to explore a partnership that would see GCT be the builder and operator of the terminal.
A stipulation of the MOU is that GCT would have to withdraw its application to the MPO for its separate Deltaport Berth 4 expansion project and instead focus its efforts on advancing RBT2.
Another pillar of the Gateway Strategy is to identify opportunities for export terminal expansion.
The port hosts 29 marine terminals that handle exports such as grain, potash, petroleum products and canola oil.
The government says new land, modern terminals and other export-focused infrastructure needs to be built at the port.
To that end, the port announced on July 20 that it is looking for an operator for its Fraser Wharves terminal in Richmond.
The 40-acre site is the first major terminal opportunity at Canada’s largest port in a decade. It was previously used as an auto terminal.
It offers potential operators a brownfield site with existing marine, rail and road connections.
“This is a very rare opportunity to develop and operate a new terminal within a proven port ecosystem that has unparallel access to the Indo-Pacific region and beyond,” Peter Xotta, president of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, said in a press release.
“We look forward to finding the right partner to turn this site into a terminal that can deliver Canadian commodities to world markets and support trade diversification work.”
Qualified interested parties are invited to submit an expression of interest for the site by Sept. 11.
The third pillar of the Gateway Strategy is the development of a rail infrastructure strategy to increase capacity and enhance supply chain efficiency, reliability and resilience.
The final pillar is environmental protections. In its Spring Economic Update 2026, the government pledged $258 million over five years to renew and enhance funding for protection of whales and their habitats.
Reaction to the Gateway Strategy from the agriculture sector has been positive.
Fertilizer Canada called it a “step in the right direction.”
In 2025, approximately 14 million tonnes of fertilizer moved through the Port of Vancouver, a 21 per cent increase over 2024 levels. Fertilizer represented about 10 per cent of the port’s total outbound cargo volume. Potash accounted for 75 per cent of that.
“Achieving the strategy’s objectives will require sustained investment in both port and rail infrastructure to improve capacity, reliability and access to global markets, including the Indo-Pacific region,” Michael Bourque, president of Fertilizer Canada, said in a statement.
Grain Growers of Canada noted that more than half of the grain grown in Canada is exported through the port. That amounts to $35 million in grain and grain products per day.
The group welcomed the advancement of the RBT2 project and the government’s commitment to developing a rail infrastructure strategy focused on capacity, reliability and resilience.
“However, the success of the Gateway Strategy will ultimately depend on addressing the long-standing rail bottlenecks, beginning with the second narrows rail crossing,” the group stated in a press release.
“Prioritizing this critical project will ensure the movement of grain and other export commodities, reduce congestion, and strengthen Canada’s ability to compete in global markets.”