SURREY, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA — The government of Canada is investing up to C$23 million in Global Agriculture Trans-Loading Inc. (GATL) to fund a three-track rail spur, new container lifts, railcar pushers, conveyor belt systems and bagging equipment. The investment is being made as part of the National Trade Corridors Fund and is expected to expand rail capacity in Surrey, British Columbia.

According to the government of Canada, the improvements to rail infrastructure and capacity will allow GATL to double its operations and help move agricultural products and grain between different modes of transportation more efficiently.

“The National Trade Corridor Fund will enable Global Agriculture Trans-Loading to double current transload exports of agricultural goods from 750,000 to 1.5 million tonnes of goods within their existing facility site, allowing it to facilitate $1 billion in exports per year,” said Johnny Sangha, chief executive officer of GATL. “As the Canadian government has recognized, the GATL Expansion Project will alleviate bottlenecks along export routes, decreasing costs and makes Canadian products more competitive abroad. This project will make GATL an even more valuable connection point between Canadian specialty agriculture export supply chain and rapidly expanding Indo-Pacific and South American markets.”

Omar Alghabra, minister of transport for the government of Canada, added, “Canadian exporters rely on a strong supply chain. This investment will help reduce delays and bottlenecks while transferring agricultural products from one mode of transportation to another, ensuring Canada’s products reach global markets efficiently. It will also help grow our economy and create good, middle-class jobs.”

GATL’s trans-loading facility is strategically located central to all terminals and railways, stretched over 5 acres of land. GATL neighbors Western Canada’s biggest rail terminal, CN Thornton Rail, connecting to major rail intermodal terminals and docks such as the Sea Port Terminal, Delta port, Fraser Surrey Docks, and Port Metro Vancouver docks.