Eastern Alberta Trade Corridor talks revived after fading away

Southern Alberta Newspapers Photo Courtesy of Palliser Economic Partnership, 2014 Annual report PROMOTION: This map of Alberta outlines a proposal to create an “Eastern Alberta Trade Corridor” with economic development agencies in southeast Alberta, the Battle River Area and the Alberta “Hub” east of Edmonton.

By Collin Gallant
Southern Alberta Newspapers

Once again promoting the Medicine Hat region’s potential as a logistics hub, the province is reviving a push for Alberta to become the last leg of the “Ports to Plains” alliance.

That initiative, involving jurisdictions from Mexico through the western U.S., aims to standardize transportation routes and seek infrastructure investment potentially to Fort McMurray.

It was a proposal popularized in the early 2010s by former MLA Len Mitzel, and Medicine Hat even hosted the group’s 2012 annual general meeting.

But it had largely fell off the radar when the pace of new mega projects in the oilsands slowed down, and imported components were shipped up Highway 36 instead of the more direct Highway 41.

Earlier this month, Premier Danielle Smith and local MLA Justin Wright told investment agencies at a local luncheon that Alberta is back at the table with the group as part of a strategy to grow transportation capacity in a number of directions.

Smith also discussed Highway 3 twinning, the Trans-Canada Highway and the recent combination of Canadian Pacific Railway with Kansas City Southern (providing Midwest routes into Mexico) as key selling points.

All provide firms locating to Medicine Hat “a logistical edge when transporting goods or reaching new markets,” she told investment officials and marketers.

City councillor Darren Hirsch sits on the Highway 3 Twinning Association and told Southern Alberta Newspapers the city will be excited to promote accessibility as a selling point for the city and region.

“We have some advantages here, and it’s something that we want to expand upon,” he said, referring to location on both the southern Alberta ‘Ag Corridor’ between the Hat and Lethbridge, but also with Highway 41.

However, he added that work is required at the provincial level, in terms of upgrades, and federal level, in terms of the border access.

“Highway 41 is the most efficient route to Fort McMurray, and we’re the major municipality on that route,” said Hirsch.

Smith has several times promoted her discussions with Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte on expansion of the Port of Wild Horse (about 150 km south of the city) as a potential relief valve for the busy commercial port at Coutts.

Wright said aerospace sector development could create a natural link between local drone testing facilities in Foremost and CFB Suffield to CFB Cold Lake.

That and manufacturing potential are reinvigorating the Eastern Alberta Trade Corridor concept, he said.

“It was a project that was outlined in 2014, then kind of fell off, and that allowed Highway 36 to become the more important (route),” he said. “Now we look at aerospace and defence (connection) between Cold Lake and Medicine Hat area and the south.”

“There is a new focus from the MLAs along the corridor to be able to get this as a focus again.”

That matter is now with Transportation and Economic Corridors Minster Devin Dreeshen, said Wright.

Last month, Economic Corridors parliamentary secretary, MLA Shane Getson, addressed the Ports to Plains annual general meetings in Dickinson, North Dakota.

He promoted Alberta as open to discussions and a willing partner in gaining trade access to the Arctic and Alaska, and seeking access to corridor Hudson Bay with Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

A built-out heavy transport route on Highway 41 would also avoid further congestion along the Highway 2 corridor from the border to Calgary and Edmonton.

Elected officials in attendance earlier this month were excited about the potential for going north on Highway 41.

“We’re back on track,” said Oyen Mayor Doug Jones. “There’s huge potential (on a route running) up to Lloydminster and Vermillion. There is so much traffic and commerce going on in Alberta. The premier says we’re the fastest growing province and that’s where we want to stay.”

In 2012, officials stated the goal would be to create high load routes to ship large components for oilsands construction which were being imported into Oregon and Montana. That high-load corridor is now Highway 36, which runs from Warner, through Taber and Brooks, north to Lac La Biche.