Saskatchewan's Global Transportation Hub

The Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure, in partnership with the Government of Canada and the City of Regina, CP Rail and the Rural Municipality of Sherwood, is working to develop a new inter-modal transportation facility and related road infrastructure.

An inter-modal transportation facility is used to efficiently transfer shipping containers between trains and trucks. These containers hold the freight, which does not have to be actually handled when changing between modes. This method improves security and reduces damage and loss, while allowing cargo to be shipped faster and more efficiently.

The project involves relocating the existing CP inter-modal facility from downtown Regina to a site west of the city and building the necessary infrastructure to access the new site. This includes building a new overpass at the intersection of Highway 1 and Lewvan Drive, and a connecting road between Highway 1 and Highway 11.

The Global Transportation Hub (GTH) will provide Saskatchewan exporters with state-of-the-art links to national, North American and global markets, create new jobs and investment opportunities, improve traffic flow and safety in and around Regina and provide a new opportunity to share in the benefits of Saskatchewan's booming economy. The Government of Canada is supporting The GTH with a $27 million contribution through the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative.

Project Description

More than any other province, Saskatchewan relies on exports to create jobs and generate economic prosperity.

Be it agricultural commodities, minerals, potash, oil or manufactured goods, what the Saskatchewan economy produces is in demand across Canada, throughout North America and around the world. This reliance on exports means we need state-of-the-art links to the broader national and international transportation systems and global supply chains. The GTH will enhance these links.

GTH involves the relocation of the existing CPR inter-modal facility to a location west of the City and upgrades to roadways providing access to the facility, including the construction of a new interchange at the intersection of Highway 1 and Lewvan Drive, a new road to connect Highways 1 and 11 and some upgrading to Dewdney Avenue.

CPR's Regina inter-modal facility is currently located in downtown Regina which has many negatives, including:

• the construction of a modern inter-modal transportation facility is not physically viable at the existing downtown location, limiting the options available to shippers to access export-bound containers;
• CPR is unable to expand its track infrastructure in the city to facilitate a more efficient movement of trains;
• slow-moving trains and the staging of trains of up to two miles in length increases traffic congestion in the City and makes the highway network less efficient; and
• increased congestion in the City increases the cost of doing business, causes safety concerns and leads to higher levels of pollution, including greenhouse gas emissions.

GTH will increase rail capacity and supply chain efficiency as well as maximize economic development opportunities through partnerships. It will make our businesses more competitive, create jobs, help to alleviate traffic congestion in and around Regina, stimulate new investment and development opportunities. The Regina region and southern Saskatchewan will have a new opportunity to share in the benefits of Saskatchewan's booming economy.

What are the benefits of the Global Transportation Hub?

• Efficient access to global supply chains make existing Saskatchewan businesses more competitive and make the Regina region a more attractive place to invest.
• Moving the existing Inter-modal transportation facility out of the downtown core will reduce truck traffic and motorist delays at rail crossings within the City. In turn, this will reduce traffic congestion and green house gas emissions, while enhancing safety.
• A greatly expanded inter-modal transportation facility will attract new industries and freight service providers in the near vicinity, creating new jobs.
• The related road infrastructure will enable the development of new commercial, retail and residential development in and around Regina.
• The construction of a new overpass at Highway 1 and Lewvan Drive will eliminate a long-standing public safety concern.

Why the Regina region?

The Regina region is an ideal location for a major inter-modal transportation facility because of its strategic location in North America and international supply chains.

Canada is well positioned to take advantage of the growing trade between China and Asia, and North America. Canada's west coast ports are three to five days sailing time closer to Asia than U.S. ports. This is a critical competitive advantage as more and more companies adopt "just-in-time delivery" inventory strategies.

As exports and imports move to and from port facilities, the Regina area is ideally located to compliment the strategic advantage of Canadian ports. The Regina location facilitates the transfer of freight between road and rail because it is served by both national railways and four National Highway System-designated corridors.

With its strong road and rail links to the rest of Canada, Regina is ideally situated to serve exporters and importers seeking access to and from Asia and the North American continent