The Organization

OPPORTUNITY DRIVEN ⇒ by industry ⇒ for industry

The Capital Region has established itself as a significant player in the Global Economy. Centered in a resource rich province with years of vigorous economic growth has positioned this region as a significant trading force on the national and international stage. There is tremendous opportunity to capitalize on that growth, to become key transportation, logistics and supply hub in North America. Aligning this opportunity with provincial and industrial initiatives to diversify and expand our economy, offers Port Alberta the capability to develop into a bold, ambitious transportation and economic development initiative.
Port Alberta is poised to take advantage of a sophisticated, established transportation network flowing in and out of the region. Edmonton has become a major rail hub, with investment from both railways attracted by greater economic activity and an increase in container traffic along the northern route to Canada’s West Coast ports. Activity at those ports is set to increase as Canada’s, and Alberta’s, trading relationship with China and Asia Pacific countries grows. Edmonton is the first major inland city connected to the Port of Prince Rupert, one of North America’s fastest growing marine ports.

Edmonton International Airport is expanding to keep pace with the region’s economic strength, situated as it is right beside Canada’s largest business park. Furthermore, because of the airport’s location outside the city limits, there are no flight path or noise restrictions, facilitating 24/7 activity.

As for roads, federal and provincial government infrastructure investment over the last few years has significantly improved the north-south and east-west trucking routes. Federal interest in developing a strong diverse Asia Pacific Gateway will facilitate the movement of goods in and out of this region to China, the largest economic engine on the globe. Globalization and market changes are creating a new paradigm that requires an integrated management system and approach that is the driving force behind Port Alberta.

Gateway Transportation Partnerships
Gateway Partnerships will provide logistics support and transportation policy advocacy to streamline and enhance connectivity to the Greater Edmonton Region. There will be a strong focus on Northern supply chains and connectivity, but there is also value in pursuing Asia-Pacific gateway opportunities to the west as well as energy and agriculture opportunities south to the United States and Mexico. These gateway partnerships will be instrumental in advancing innovative, entrepreneurial and critical manufacturing investments.

Logistics Service Centre
An opportunity was identified for a Logistics Service Centre consisting of 3 components:

• A virtual cargo consolidation service application that would allow multiple shippers to access an on-line application to ensure maximum load volumes to increase local shipping competitiveness. This might work well with new on-line tracking applications that are already under development at the Edmonton International Airport.
• A regional container depot to develop support for empty container management for maintaining a supply of empty containers for export opportunities.
• The opportunity for an integrated logistics park.

Energy "Super" Hub
The studies confirmed that the Edmonton Region will benefit by building on its inherent strength in the energy sector and its strategic location at the southern edge of world scale oil sands reserves to maintain and grow the energy supply and service sectors. The concept would be to develop a critical mass and foundation of specialized services that will be in high demand for existing and future energy sectors, including engineering, procurement, construction and ongoing operations. This would include logistics support for servicing the proposed world scale eco-industrial Chemical Cluster development in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland and Northeast Edmonton. In this way, Port Alberta would also be supporting the provincial government’s ‘value-add’ priorities within the Provincial Energy Strategy.

Communications Plan - Community Positioning
The communications plan is a broad strategy to address all aspects of Port Alberta’s operations. Effective communications are critical in a publicly oriented organization engaged with industry, levels of government and the general public focused on transportation, advocacy and policy development. The messaging for Port Alberta must be clear and unambiguous.