Port Metro Vancouver undertook a comprehensive consultation process with industry stakeholders to develop an effective, efficient and fair mechanism to recover the cost of the Gateway Improvement Program (GIP) projects through a Gateway Infrastructure Fee (GIF). Industry stakeholder input was carefully considered as part of the consultation process and has been incorporated, where possible.

The GIF Backgrounder provides an overview of the GIF including: Fee Structure, Collection Mechanism, Term and Annual Evaluation. 

The GIF Consultation Summary Report was prepared by Kirk & Co Consulting Ltd., an independent company that was retained by Port Metro Vancouver to design and lead the GIF consultation program. 

The Consideration Memo summarizes how key themes from stakeholder input have been considered in refining the structure and implementation of the Gateway Infrastructure Fee.

Port Metro Vancouver will be having further discussions with industry stakeholders from August to mid-October to discuss the details of collection to ensure that the implementation of GIF is efficient.

Port Metro Vancouver will contribute ten per cent towards the overall industry component of the GIP projects and will recover the remaining 90 per cent from industry stakeholders through the GIF.

While overall tonnage was 48.8 million tonnes, down almost 17% from the same period in 2008, there were significant increases in commodities such as grain and petroleum. The cruise sector showed improvement from the first half of 2008, with an increase of 5% in revenue passengers to 354,251.

 

Container volumes declined 15%, for a total of 1.04 million TEU. Containerized full imports, down 25%, reflected reductions in the retail economy for this period. Laden container exports decreased 8%, reflecting stability in demand for woodpulp, grains and agri-products such as special crops.  Visit Port Metro Vancouver's website to read the full report.

The Transport Minister,  John Baird, has appointed Richard Turner of Vancouver, BC to Port Metro Vancouver's (PMV) board of directors for a three year term.   Mr. Turner is currently director, president, and CEO of DVPC Inc., a real estate investment firm.    Bob Wilds was also reappointed to the board for a two-year term and John Willcox a further one-year term.

The Transport Minister, John Baird, has appointed Raymond Castelli of Vancouver, British Columbia, to the board of directors of the Prince Rupert Port Authority for a term of three years.

Mr. Castelli has wide–ranging experience in the public and private sectors. In his early career, he served the Canadian government for over six years, as a senior advisor to the prime minister, as well as to the minister of Indian and Northern Affairs. Mr. Castelli later worked as an executive managing the Vancouver office of Alcan Aluminium, one of British Columbia's leading exporters to Asia. Consequently Mr. Castelli has extensive business experience in Asia, including developing business opportunities in China, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Currently he is chief executive officer for Weatherhaven, a manufacturing company that exports to more than 40 countries around the world.

Mr. Castelli sits on the board of governors of the BC Business Council, the province's largest business association. He is also a member of the Working Opportunity Fund, one of Canada's largest venture capital funds.