A proposed $2.23 billion container hub in Port Alberni is being put in front of some of the world’s biggest investors as the project looks for the backing needed to move ahead. The Port Alberni Transshipment Hub, known as PATH, has been selected for inclusion in the 2026 Canada Investment Summit Dealbook, which highlights major Canadian investment opportunities for international investors. “It’s really exciting for PATH to be recognized in this way,” said Carmela Ferro, manager of marketing, communications and public relations with the Port Alberni Port Authority. “It’s been a project that’s been on the books for the port authority for over a decade, so it’s great to get some new life breathed into the project and some attention.” The project is envisioned as a major new point for container traffic on Vancouver Island, with a potential capacity of about five million TEUs annually. TEU stands for twenty-foot equivalent unit, a standard measurement used in the shipping industry. Five million TEUs represents the equivalent of five million standard 20-foot shipping containers moving through the proposed facility each year. The concept is to have ultra large container ships make a single stop at Port Alberni, where cargo could then be transferred to smaller vessels, rail or trucks for the remainder of its journey. The proposed hub would be located at Sarita Bay, just south of Port Alberni in the Alberni Inlet. Ferro said the idea is to receive cargo from large international vessels and redistribute it to regional ports using feeder barges. The Port Alberni Port Authority says the approach could add capacity and another route for moving goods through the Pacific Gateway while easing pressure on existing transportation infrastructure. Ferro said the project is intended to support existing ports rather than create a completely new container shipping network. “Those big vessels would come to that terminal, they would get sorted and redistributed, and they would get to where they need to go on time,” she said. The Port Authority says further technical, environmental, Indigenous engagement, regulatory, commercial and financial work is required. The $2.23 billion project value is identified in the investment summit materials. The Port Authority submitted PATH to the B.C. government, which selected it as one of 16 marine and port infrastructure projects from the province to advance for federal consideration. Being included in the Dealbook does not mean PATH has been approved or funded. Instead, it gives the project an opportunity to be presented to potential investors and strategic partners. Ferro said the Port Authority has not yet had conversations with potential investors or strategic partners specifically because of the Dealbook inclusion. “It was quite early. A couple of weeks ago, the project was presented to the regional investors through the Canadian Investment Summit,” she said. “We are hoping to hear soon, but we’re always trying to advance a project forward.” “Having PATH identified by the province as a priority investment opportunity and advanced to the federal level is an important milestone for the project,” Port Alberni Port Authority co-CEO Zoran Knezevic said in the release. There is also no single source of funding identified for the $2.23 billion project at this stage. “Obviously not one person could hold all of the financial burden of a project of this size,” Ferro said. “It’s very early in its stages, so we’re still exploring what funders could jump in and how the province could help support that as well.” The Port Authority is also exploring potential government funding programs, including the Trade Diversification Corridor Fund. “Having PATH become a reality would be a game changer for folks in Port Alberni,” she said. “It would certainly give us the economic boost that we need and create jobs.” The project is also being presented to help address congestion at existing ports. Ferro said the Port Authority believes demand for additional capacity could grow as Canada advances its trade and responds to changing geopolitical conditions. Ferro said the port authority has been working with the Huu-ay-aht First Nations since early in the process while looking at Sarita Bay as a potential location. “We’re really grateful to have great working relationships with our local First Nations,” she said. “We will continue to work closely with them.” In a statement, the Huu-ay-aht First Nations noted that it is not currently “a project proponent or confirmed development partner in any proposed port project.” “Huu-ay-aht believes it is important to be at the table for discussions that may affect our lands, waters, rights, and economic future,” the statement continued. “We value the relationship we have developed with the Port Authority and look forward to continuing these discussions as the potential benefits, considerations, and impacts of this opportunity are further assessed.” Port Alberni Port Authority co-CEO Mike Carter said the proposal is intended to be more than another container terminal. “It is about creating a more connected and resilient Pacific trade network,” Carter said in the release. As the project moves forward, several steps are still required before it could move toward construction. Ferro said those steps include consultation with Indigenous partners, environmental work and updated technical assessments. Pre-feasibility studies were completed in 2012, but Ferro said the Port Authority needs to revisit that work because circumstances, regulations and other factors have changed. “Many, many things stand in the way before we would be breaking ground,” she said. At this point, the Port Authority does not have additional studies formally on the books, but Ferro said it hopes renewed interest in PATH will allow that work to begin in the next few years. Ferro said the timeline remains difficult to predict because the project is still in the early development stages. She also emphasized that PATH should not be viewed as an entirely new large-scale container terminal. “One of the misconceptions is that it would be creating, like, a new big shipping container terminal, and that’s not the case,” Ferro said. “We’re here to support the other ports.” The Port Authority says more information about the project, including previous pre-feasibility studies, is available through PATH’s website as the proposal progresses.
