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September 10th, 2007, 06:56 PM
Prince Rupert gears up to open new terminal
Representatives from across the country expected to attend ribbon-cutting of Canada's newest international gateway
Leanne Ritchie, Prince Rupert Daily News
Published: Monday, September 10, 2007
PRINCE RUPERT -- With some 1,400 invitations in the mail and a massive community celebration in the works, representatives from across the northwestern corridor and beyond will be in Prince Rupert this week to witness the ribbon-cutting for the Fairview Container Terminal.
Dignitaries scheduled to attend Wednesday include M. Brian Maher, chairman and CEO of Maher Terminals. Maher is the largest container-handling company on the East Coast and the port's new terminal partner.
Top-level executives from Canadian National Railway and CNR's customers have been confirmed, as have David Emerson, federal minister of international trade and the Pacific Gateway, and Kevin Falcon, the provincial minister of transportation.
Both Emerson and Falcon spent weeks overseas promoting the terminal as a new trade route between Asia and North America.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has not yet confirmed his attendance at the opening of Canada's newest international gateway; however, the prime minister is not in the habit of announcing his plans in advance because of security concerns.
Don Krusel, president and CEO of the Prince Rupert Port Authority, said the list of those invited represents the many people who have supported the project during the past decade.
"In reality, the opening ceremonies are a way to thank all of those many individuals and groups that participated in making the Fairview Container Terminal a reality," Krusel said.
"Our invitation list exceeded 1,400 people. That is an indication of just how large of an army we had working to build this dream into a reality."
Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel and the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation are chartering a plane with Prince George Mayor Colin Kinsley to attend the event.
In addition to investing in the new Fairview Terminal, CNR is also building new container-stuffing facilities in both of those northern cities to handle the volume generated by the container-handling terminal.
"This is something that Prince George and Prince Rupert have been working on for over a decade," Kinsley said.
Not only will the new port provide the opportunity to move goods inbound, but it will also provide northern communities like Prince George with the opportunity to manufacture new products to send overseas at a competitive backhaul rate.
Northern B.C. is rich not only in its timber supply, but in its mineral supply, Kinsley said, opening a world of opportunity.
Products made from pine beetle wood are already being shipped in containers through the Port of Vancouver, Kinsley added.
Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond said this is a time residents have been anticipating for a long while.
© The Vancouver Sun 2007
Representatives from across the country expected to attend ribbon-cutting of Canada's newest international gateway
Leanne Ritchie, Prince Rupert Daily News
Published: Monday, September 10, 2007
PRINCE RUPERT -- With some 1,400 invitations in the mail and a massive community celebration in the works, representatives from across the northwestern corridor and beyond will be in Prince Rupert this week to witness the ribbon-cutting for the Fairview Container Terminal.
Dignitaries scheduled to attend Wednesday include M. Brian Maher, chairman and CEO of Maher Terminals. Maher is the largest container-handling company on the East Coast and the port's new terminal partner.
Top-level executives from Canadian National Railway and CNR's customers have been confirmed, as have David Emerson, federal minister of international trade and the Pacific Gateway, and Kevin Falcon, the provincial minister of transportation.
Both Emerson and Falcon spent weeks overseas promoting the terminal as a new trade route between Asia and North America.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has not yet confirmed his attendance at the opening of Canada's newest international gateway; however, the prime minister is not in the habit of announcing his plans in advance because of security concerns.
Don Krusel, president and CEO of the Prince Rupert Port Authority, said the list of those invited represents the many people who have supported the project during the past decade.
"In reality, the opening ceremonies are a way to thank all of those many individuals and groups that participated in making the Fairview Container Terminal a reality," Krusel said.
"Our invitation list exceeded 1,400 people. That is an indication of just how large of an army we had working to build this dream into a reality."
Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel and the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation are chartering a plane with Prince George Mayor Colin Kinsley to attend the event.
In addition to investing in the new Fairview Terminal, CNR is also building new container-stuffing facilities in both of those northern cities to handle the volume generated by the container-handling terminal.
"This is something that Prince George and Prince Rupert have been working on for over a decade," Kinsley said.
Not only will the new port provide the opportunity to move goods inbound, but it will also provide northern communities like Prince George with the opportunity to manufacture new products to send overseas at a competitive backhaul rate.
Northern B.C. is rich not only in its timber supply, but in its mineral supply, Kinsley said, opening a world of opportunity.
Products made from pine beetle wood are already being shipped in containers through the Port of Vancouver, Kinsley added.
Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond said this is a time residents have been anticipating for a long while.
© The Vancouver Sun 2007