Transport, Infrastructure and Communities

Opening remarks

Thank you and good evening. I would like to thank the committee for inviting us to speak about port diversification and modernization. I'd like to acknowledge that the Port of Prince Rupert operates on the traditional land of the Sm'algya̱x-speaking Ts'msyen people. Located in northern British Columbia, Prince Rupert is one of Canada's strategic trade gateways, anchoring the fastest shipping route to Asia-Pacific markets. The Prince Rupert Port Authority gets its mandate from the Canada Marine Act, which outlines that port authorities must be commercially oriented and manage strategic port assets in the national interest. We take this mandate seriously, implementing development plans that have grown the Port of Prince Rupert from one single-use dry bulk terminal to a diverse commodity ecosystem and Canada's third-largest port by value of trade. The Port of Prince Rupert handles $60 billion of trade annually and provides access to Asia-Pacific markets for western Canadian resource sectors such as energy, agriculture, forestry, mining and petrochemicals. It also enables imports to Ontario and Quebec and supports the manufacturing and consumer sectors, including the auto…

Opening remarks

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I want to say thank you for giving us the privilege of participating in the committee discussion today. I also want to acknowledge that I am participating virtually from the traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples, and I extend my thanks to them. These are extraordinary times for Canada, which have been discussed at length in the trade press. Trade rules have been upended, and Canadians are feeling anxious. I think I speak on behalf of all Canadians when I say thank you to the committee for your work, and thank you to government for rising to the occasion with a bold agenda to double Canadian exports to non-U.S. markets over the next 10 years. It's going to take a team Canada approach to make more stuff like metals and minerals, wood and energy products, agri-foods, machinery and equipment; to sell more stuff to customers who want and need what Canada makes, especially in the Indo-Pacific region, where 50% of global GDP will reside by 2040; and, importantly, to move more stuff via port authorities to where it needs to go reliably. The good news is that the Port of Vancouver, Canada's largest port, is right at…

Opening remarks

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My name is Eddy Métivier. I'm an engineer. I've worked in the industrial sector for nearly 30 years. I've been the mayor of Matane since 2021. I would like to thank you, Mr. Chair, and the committee members for the opportunity to present our brief. The City of Matane is located 400 kilometres east of Quebec City, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River. It has a population of 14,316. With its strong maritime tradition, our city has recently experienced significant economic growth in its industrial port area. As mayor, while I'm encouraged by this new economic boom, I'm also deeply concerned that it's being undermined by the dilapidated state of our seaport, which was built in the late 1960s by the Canadian government. The challenge lies in the fact that the commercial wharf, built around 1967 by Transport Canada, is nearing the end of its useful life. That will be reached in 2033. That is soon. We're hoping that we won't have any marine incidents. That could be the case, for example, if a ship were to accidentally enter the seaport. The wharf deck is very shaky, and its bearing capacity is only 14 kilopascals, rather than the standard 50…

Opening remarks

Yes, it is. The Prince Rupert Port Authority's jurisdictional boundaries include six indigenous communities. I—