Ag export terminal receives federal funding

Mar 27, 2023

$23 million will go to Global Agriculture Transloading in B.C.

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

The federal government is investing millions of dollars into an ag export terminal on Canada’s west coast.

On March 17, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced $23 million in funding for Global Agriculture Transloading Inc. (GATL) out of Surrey, B.C.

🔴We’re LIVE in Surrey, BC to announce funding to expand rail capacity at Global Agriculture Trans-Loading and help move agricultural products more efficiently in the region.https://t.co/KWDzWwNxwf
— Omar Alghabra (@OmarAlghabra) March 17, 2023

The funding is coming through the National Trade Corridors Fund, which funds projects that improve the flow of goods and people, and trade, in and out of Canada.

GATL sits on five acres of land near the CN Thornton Rail yard, the largest rail terminal in Western Canada.

It’s also connected to major intermodal terminals and docks including the Sea Port Terminal, Delta port, Fraser Surrey Docks and Port Metro Vancouver docks.

With the federal support, the company will purchase:

A three-track rail spur
New container lifts
Railcar pushers
Conveyor belt systems and bagging equipment

“These improvements will enable Global Agriculture Trans-Loading to double their operations and help move agriculture product and grain between different modes of transportation more efficiently,” Minister Alghabra said during the announcement.

Currently, the company’s capacity sits around 750,000 tonnes.

But these new purchases will bring capacity over 1 million tonnes.

The funding and equipment will help GATL “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 $1 billion in exports per year,” Johnny Sangha, CEO of GATL, said in a press release.

The federal government has committed $4.7 billion through 2028 for the National Trade Corridors Fund.

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