December 13, 2021 | Category: News Releases

Vancouver, BC—WESTAC members gathered in Vancouver and online (December 8th - 9th 2021) to attend the first hybrid Fall Member Forum. Transportation leaders and executives discussed the implications of today’s critical decisions on future Canadian prosperity.

Hon. Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Transportation, Government of Alberta and Chair of WESTAC, opened the Forum emphasizing the importance of thinking beyond infrastructure and provincial borders to our broader networks to solve the challenges we face as an industry. 

Minister Sawhney noted, “we must work together to support the resiliency of our physical infrastructure, as it is key to the prosperity of the country. We also need to ensure that alternative routes are available for our goods and services when disruptions arise.”

WESTAC was honoured to host a great lineup of speakers, including Stephen Poloz, Special Advisor, Osler and former Governor, Bank of Canada, who kicked off the main session focusing on the forces impacting Canada’s economy in the near term. 

Other speakers covered topics that included:

• The importance of climate mitigation and adaptation strategies
• Significance of supply chain stakeholder collaboration
• Increased cybersecurity threats
• The role of communication in mitigating threats

The Forum concluded with a Leaders Council session which explored a resilient western trade corridor strategy. WESTAC was honoured to have Hon. Omar Alghabra, federal Minister of Transport, join virtually where he announced a new call for proposals under the National Trade Corridor Fund (NTCF). This call for proposals will focus on increasing the fluidity of Canada’s supply chains. More information can be found here.

Hon. Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Government of British Columbia, also spoke at the Leaders Council. He updated members on how BC is mitigating the damage from the disastrous atmospheric river that disrupted southern British Columbia and plans and timing to open major trade corridor routes. 

WESTAC President and CEO Lindsay Kislock noted that “We have reasons to be optimistic, but we need to stay vigilant to challenges the industry is facing. We have to hope for the best and plan for the worst. This means organizations, and even industry as a whole, need to develop multiple-scenario plans to help us navigate through challenges as they approach us.”

A complete list of speakers can be found here. A proceedings report will be available to members in the coming weeks.

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About WESTAC:

The Western Transportation Advisory Council (WESTAC) is a council of organizations in the transportation sector represented by senior decision-makers. WESTAC’s members span all aspects of freight transportation in Canada. They include carriers and logistics providers, ports and terminals, shippers, labour unions, and the three levels of government. Members represent a significant share of the western Canadian economy. We focus on critical issues that affect Western Canada’s freight transportation network to ensure that it is safe, efficient, reliable and competitive.

For more information, please contact:
Marzia Rizvi
Manager, Program Development & Communications
mrizvi@westac.com