Ottawa invests $100M to develop new international cargo hub at EIA

Cargo shipment being loaded onto a plane at EIA. (Edmonton International Airport)

A new 2,000-acre international cargo handling hub will be constructed at the Edmonton International Airport after a $100 million investment from the federal government.

Omar Alghabra, federal transport minister, announced the funding Thursday to help increase the amount of cargo that moves through the airport and strengthen distribution to the rest of Canada, the U.S., and Mexico.

The investment comes from the $4.6 billion National Trade Corridors Fund, a federal program aimed at making the country more competitive in global markets and making trade more efficient with international partners.

"Our government is committed to keeping our supply chains resilient," Alghabra said in a statement. "This funding will expand the operational capacity of the airport by adding more space for cargo handling operations and new transportation infrastructure.

"By investing in our airports, we are creating good jobs, strengthening our economy, and maintaining a competitive and resilient supply chain," he added.

Tom Ruth, EIA president and CEO, said in a statement that the investment is a "game changer" for the region, helping to better connect small and medium Alberta business with global markets.

"(This) investment into EIA will help accelerate our plans to position the Edmonton Metropolitan Region as a key multi-modal global logistics hub and vital trade corridor for Canada," Ruth said.

"This hub will be transformational."