Developing a Northern Infrastructure Corridor
Many industries in Canada are not reaching their full potential because of transportation and infrastructure challenges: poor roads, congested trade routes and ports, and high transportation and energy costs. A dedicated, multi-modal transportation utility corridor (TUC) across mid-northern Canada and reaching all three Canadian coasts would allow and encourage investment in trade-supporting infrastructure.
What are the benefits?
Better transportation would encourage regional development in northern communities and significantly improve access to market for minerals, oil and gas, agriculture and forest projects. Lower transportation costs would mean lower cost of goods, and possibly even lower electricity-generating costs if communities can tie into more efficient electricity grids to the south. Better, more efficient transportation means lower greenhouse gas emissions and possible reduction in other environmental impacts by having a contained and monitored area for major projects.
What is the Edmonton Chamber’s view?
The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce recommends that the federal government fund further research into the proposed northern infrastructure corridor, and establish a plan to enable an integrated, national transportation utility corridor network that allows efficient market access for goods and services from all provinces and territories to any Canadian coast. The federal government should also ensure that the process includes meaningful and thorough consultation with Indigenous communities, existing landowners, municipalities, and businesses.