Press Release

International Market Forum

Posted: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2009

PRINCE GEORGE, BC - For the next four days senior executives with logistics and transportation companies representing Chinese investment interests are in Prince George and Prince Rupert seeing North America’s newest and most cost-effective intermodal transportation infrastructure first-hand.

Initiatives Prince George Development Corporation (IPG), Prince George Airport Authority (PGAA), Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) and Prince George Global Logistics Park (PGGLP) are jointly hosting the Northern Pacific Gateway Trade and Investment Forum in order to showcase and promote Prince George and Prince Rupert as investment destinations, with an emphasis on opportunities at the Prince George Global Logistics Park. The 18-member Chinese delegation includes logistics companies, freight-forwarders, and air cargo carriers.

Today’s program introduced delegates to the companies that have already invested in and are benefiting from the corridor including CN Worldwide and COSCO Container Shipping. Tours of the new 11,360 ft runway and fueling pad at the Prince George Airport, the Prince George Global Logistics Park, and the CN Worldwide Intermodal and Distribution facility will be extended to include the highly successful Fairview Container Terminal tomorrow when the group travels to Prince Rupert on Monday.

This market forum includes sessions on opportunities for foreign investment based on the competitive advantages of the corridor, and is an important part of the overall feasibility assessment for an international global logistics centre in Prince George. “We have been extremely pleased with the level of interest from our target markets in China”, says Tim McEwan President and CEO of Initiatives Prince George. “The emergence of the corridor as a solution to logistics challenges faced by companies on both sides of the Pacific Ocean is apparent”.

John Gibson, CEO of the Prince George Airport Authority is optimistic, “it is a very strategic time in Canada-China relations, and we are pleased that we can showcase the cost advantages YXS offers to air carriers alongside the land-side opportunities for logistics activities”.

The corridor has the attention of the Canadian manufacturing sector as well, with Dr. David Fung, Chair of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters Association, speaking at Sunday’s event. “With the changing nature of manufacturing, half the workers never touch the product, so a national logistics strategy that exploits the advantages of regional logistics centres such as Prince George is a fundamental Canadian competitive advantage.”

The northwest transportation corridor between Asia and North America, anchored by the Prince Rupert Gateway, links Northern BC with new opportunities in the Pacific Rim,” notes Shaun Stevenson, PRPA Vice President Marketing & Business Development. “This forum is one of those opportunities to reinforce the competitive advantages for Chinese businesses to invest in – and move their products through – northern BC.

The forum has an important regional business-development focus with organized networking events in order to support investment attraction as well. Over ten Northern BC companies interested in doing business with Chinese investors are sponsoring the event from engineering, construction, warehousing and forestry companies.

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