Resources

Transport Canada and its provincial partners have undertaken a National Commodity Flow, Trade and Traffic Forecasting project, to better understand the freight movement infrastructure needs of the future. The conference emphasized the freight movements from and through Western Canada. It rolled out the preliminary forecasts generated by IHS Global Insight. The forecasts covered the period from 2008 to 2026, and included the full spectrum of commodities carried by all modes, including airfreight. The purpose was to discuss the outlook for freight demand and answer the question: can Western Canada’s transportation system handle it? 

WESTAC provides opportunities for Members to speak directly to Ministers about the transportation industry and its issues. On February 27, 2009 a dozen Members met in Vancouver with the Hon. Stockwell Day, Canada’s Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia- Pacific Gateway.

This document is proposed as a Framework for a National Transportation Policy. The document lays out a vision and objectives, and provides some strategies that all transportation stakeholders across governments and industry can pursue to achieve the objectives.

One hundred forty people representing the resource and transportation industries, labour unions and all levels of government met (May 2007, Whitehorse) to discuss resource development and transportation in the North. This report synthesizes the conference presentations and discussions, as well as the written input from two participant surveys.

A summary of opinions and perceptions from meetings WESTAC held to discuss the Pacific Gateway with senior stakeholders from organizations that will impact and be impacted by PG development. Rather than a consensus report, it is offered as a resource for the Federal Government and others who will make policies and investments in support of the Pacific Gateway

Drawing from shippers and importers that rely upon the freight transportation system, this 80 page report details findings in containerized freight and in six export commodity groups (coal, forest products, grains, fertilizer and potash, sulphur and chemicals) providing ten-year forecast information about surface freight volumes in Western Canada.

The primary purpose of this report is to propose and outline an action plan for northern transportation in Canada. The action plan follows from the Proceedings of the Northern Transportation Conference, including expert presentations, discussions, roundtable sessions and a survey.

Participants generally believed significant policy progress had been made over the past 20 years, but a significant job remains to be done. There was general recognition of the tremendous investment and efficiency boost that had occurred in various transportation modes as a result of increased reliance on the marketplace, rather than regulation.

WESTAC conducted one-on-one, in-depth interviews with 50 Canadian leaders in late 2004. They were a cross-section of interests with varying degrees of connection to the transportation sector. (available in french - contact admin@westac.com)

Report synthesizes discussions at workshop held in Edmonton in November 2004.