Building the Container Transload Sector in Halifax - Halifax Gateway

Building the Container Transload Sector in Halifax 62.0 The Transportation Sector2.1 Trade and Transportation in the Regional ContextThe Economic Potential of HRM and Halifax Harbour study of 2004 highlighted theimportance of the transportation sector in the regional economy. It indicated that,according to the 2001 Census, of a total labour force of 194,700 and over $10B inGDP, Transportation and Warehousing accounted for 8,135 jobs in HRM, or 4.2% ofthe workforce, generating $370 million or 3.7% of GDP. It anticipated the sectorwould grow by 0.65% by 2010 and experience annual growth of 0.54% to 9,300 jobsby 2026.The Halifax Gateway Economic Impact Study of 2005 indicated that the Gateway,including marine, air, rail and road sectors, generates about 12,000 jobs and almost$500 million in wages. If direct, indirect and induced benefits are considered, theGateway generates almost 30,000 jobs and $1.5B in GDP, which is about 6.75% ofNova Scotia’s total employment of 444,000, and 13.6% of the Halifax CMA. The Portof Halifax generates almost 5,000 direct jobs, the Halifax International Airport over6,000, rail almost 500, and trucking almost 600. A new study being undertaken byInterVISTAS Consulting for ACOA will determine total “Atlantic Gateway” economicimpacts.There are a number of very large ports in the Atlantic region. Based on 2003 data,four of Canada’s top ten ports are located in Atlantic Canada. If “NewfoundlandOffshore” is included, there are five. The others include Come-by-Chance, SaintJohn, Port Hawkesbury and Halifax.The Atlantic region also encompasses three of Canada’s six container ports, Halifax,St. John’s, and Saint John. In 2006, Vancouver’s volume was over 2.2 million TEUs,Montreal was 1.28 million, and Halifax handled 530,000 TEUs. At 110,910 TEUs inSt. John’s has bypassed Fraser Port, which fell to 53,906 TEUs, as most traffic hadshifted to Vancouver.Halifax serves a broad hinterland, as shown below.Table 1: Markets Served by HalifaxMarket Volume (TEUs)Atlantic 90,000Quebec 110,000Ontario 130,000US Midwest 95,000Newfoundland 40,000New England 15,000Source: MariNova estimateMay 2007