June 18, 2010
Almost $300 Million Highways Investment to Strengthen Manitoba's Major Trade Routes, CentrePort Canada
The governments of Manitoba and Canada are building Manitoba’s economy by investing $292.6 million to modernize major trade and transportation routes within the province and support the further development of CentrePort Canada, Premier Greg Selinger and federal Public Safety Minister Vic Toews announced today.
Construction has begun on CentrePort Canada Way, a $212-million, four-lane expressway in northwest Winnipeg funded by the federal and provincial governments. The leaders also announced improvements to the TransCanada Highway, Highway 75 and Winnipeg’s Perimeter Highway, all key connectors to national and international transportation corridors linking into CentrePort Canada.
“With today’s announcement, we are expanding Manitoba’s already-impressive transportation network and continuing to support the development of CentrePort Canada,” Premier Selinger said. “Building our inland port will help attract new private investment, create jobs and generate economic growth that will position our province well for the future.”
“CentrePort Canada is one of the key initiatives supported by our Government through the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative to enhance the competitiveness of Canadian business,” said Minister Toews. “Investments in Manitoba’s transportation infrastructure will help boost capacity and improve the efficiency of trade to the East and West, to the American market, and to the rest of the world.”
“CentrePort Canada is well-connected to significant markets across Canada, North America, Asia and beyond,” said Diane Gray, president and CEO of CentrePort Canada. “These new investments will boost Manitoba’s infrastructure advantage and further enhance our position as a key hub in north-south and east-west trade, as well as within the global supply chain.”
CentrePort Canada Way is a new corridor that will run through the 20,000 acres designated to CentrePort Canada and connecting Inkster Boulevard (PR 221), the James A. Richardson International Airport and the CP Weston rail intermodal facility to the province’s main highway system. Construction has started along the northwest Perimeter Highway and over the next several years, two new overpasses and an interchange will be built.
The multi-year road construction project is being funded jointly by Manitoba and Canada with the federal share coming from the Provincial Territorial Base Funding Agreement ($68.35 million) and the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative ($33.25 million). Manitoba has matched the federal funds, plus an additional $9.2 million for land acquisition.
In addition to CentrePort Canada Way, today’s announcement also features several upgrades of highways, roads and overpasses that will benefit motorists by improving transportation flows and support the development of CentrePort Canada. These projects are cost-shared with the Government of Canada and are part of the province’s multi-year plan to modernize Manitoba’s roads. They include:
· The Trans-Canada Highway, east of Winnipeg. Westbound lanes to be reconstructed from Deacon’s Corner to PTH 12 – cost: approximately $26 million. Anticipated completion: fall of 2010.
· PTH 75, Ste. Agathe to Morris. Pavement rehabilitation. Anticipated completion: fall 2011 – cost: approximately $24 million.
· PTH 15, east of Winnipeg. Bridge replacement and intersection improvements at the Red River Floodway to PR 207 – cost: approximately $23.9 million.
CentrePort Canada is Manitoba’s inland port and the first logistics hub in the country to offer investors single‑window access to Foreign Trade Zone benefits. CentrePort Canada is supported by a private-public sector partnership that includes business, labour, education and other community leaders, as well as all levels of government, including Canada, Manitoba, the City of Winnipeg and RM of Rosser.
CentrePort Canada connects to the province’s major infrastructure network of major air, rail, trucking and sea routes. Highway 75 is part of the Mid-Continent Trade and Transportation Corridor that connects to the United States and Mexico via Emerson, one of Canada’s busiest and most efficient border crossings. The Trans‑Canada Highway is the country’s most significant east-west trade route, linking CentrePort Canada to the Asia Pacific Gateway.
In 2010, the provincial budget for highway and bridge renewal and maintenance is $525 million, an increase of more than 50 per cent since 2006. More information is available at www.manitoba.ca.
For more information on the Provincial Territorial Base Funding Agreement and the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative visit www.gateway-corridor.com/.
Additional information on CentrePort Canada is available at www.centreportcanada.ca.
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