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. 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 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. But PATH is still in the early stages of development. 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. “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. The authority says PATH could bring new investment and skilled employment to Vancouver Island while creating another connection between the region and international trade. The project is being advanced in collaboration with Huu ay aht First Nations. 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. For now, the next test for PATH is whether the international exposure can lead to the investment and partnerships needed to take the proposal beyond feasibility work and toward construction.
