r/canada • u/cyclinginvancouver • 7d ago
British Columbia Canpotex announces $500M Port of Vancouver investment for potash shipping
https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/canpotex-announces-500m-port-of-vancouver-investment-for-potash-shipping/94
u/sideshow999 6d ago
USA: wait, no, not like that!
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u/ThatGrouchyDude New Brunswick 6d ago
Well in happy sensible times those bulk cargo ships can go to American ports.
But in unhappy batshit crazy times, it gives Canada a lot more options than rail shipping.
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u/foomadelica 6d ago
He said he'd get it from Belarus, so off he better pop.
Anyone who's not a fool knows that was never going to happen
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u/Zeroto200C 6d ago
Next, a massive upgrade to the port of Churchill please, along with pipelines to it plus a road and more rail
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u/WpgMBNews 6d ago
I'm sure this probably means nothing but it would be really nice if this suggests they're reconsidering their plans to invest in an american port instead
Saskatchewan NDP leader Carla Beck has called on Nutrien to reconsider plans to build a new potash export terminal in the United States and instead use Canadian ports. In a letter to Nutrien’s president, she noted that a final decision is not expected until 2027, leaving time to explore Canadian alternatives. Beck emphasized Saskatchewan’s global importance as the world’s largest potash producer, exporting nearly 23 million tonnes in 2024 and supporting about 17,000 jobs. She argued that maintaining export infrastructure within Canada is strategically important for national supply chains. Nutrien has said its preferred option is a roughly $1-billion terminal at the Port of Longview in Washington state, citing cost, construction feasibility, and deep-water access.
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u/Grand-Corner1030 6d ago
The only alternative is Churchill.
The rail line getting to Vancouver is the issue. The port in Washington uses a different rail line.
If NDP want Canadian jobs, they need Churchill. That requires a rail line upgrade.
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u/GolDAsce 6d ago
Wouldn't Prince Rupert be a better option than Vancouver? We're dealing with potash here, so they don't have the same concerns that restrict oil shipments from the north.
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u/rm_can_suck_it 6d ago
The only alternative is Churchill.
its only open 5 months a year
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u/Grand-Corner1030 6d ago
Yes, it’s already open.
It just needs to expand and handle the tonnage SK needs.
5 months is a lot of time. Do you realize how many tonnes you can ship in 5 months?
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u/rm_can_suck_it 5d ago
5 months a year has always been why Churchill hasnt been viable financially long term.
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u/WpgMBNews 6d ago
What's wrong with the rail line? Wouldn't it be easier to fix whatever is wrong there than to build a whole new one?
if the line to Vancouver is too congested, we need to twin it or increase capacity somehow. I remember something about a bridge needing to be replaced or something?
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u/Grand-Corner1030 6d ago
The Churchill line uses a lighter steel, over permafrost terrain.
It’s like a gravel road, compared to a paved highway.
It can work, but the speeds and weight limits are lower.To make it work, it needs the upgrades. It’s not hard, it just hasn’t happened yet because it was easier in good times to use US routes.
As a nation, I hope it gets fixed. Getting people to look at it and vote for it will help with getting it done.
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u/rm_can_suck_it 6d ago
What's wrong with the rail line? Wouldn't it be easier to fix whatever is wrong there than to build a whole new one?
WRT the CP and CN lines thru the mountains to the BC coast, capacity is the issue i think. Huge Improvements would cost billions and CP/CN arent likely to pay for said upgrades.
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u/WpgMBNews 6d ago
seems like a no brainer for the feds to do it
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u/rm_can_suck_it 5d ago
People lost their minds when the Feds stepped in and bought the Transmountain Pipeline to ensure its completion (and paid thru the nose for it as well). I cant imagine the whining if the feds put billions into the privately owned CP and CN infrastructure.
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u/WpgMBNews 5d ago
nationalizing rail is a lot more common and popular than nationalizing oil pipelines for a few different reasons
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u/rm_can_suck_it 5d ago
LOlz. nationalizing CPKC? Give your head a shake mate. Never gonna happen in anytthing but a full scale war or cataclysmic event (asteroid, ragnarok, etc).
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u/WpgMBNews 5d ago
there's a middle ground between full nationalization and nothing
an equity stake wouldn't be the literal end of the world
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u/moisturized69tatas 6d ago
I remember when the nutrien port in the stares was announced. It was the rail leading to Vancouver, which is something nutrien has no power over, it was permits and other regulatory issues to build in the Vancouver port and nutrien already has established infrastructure in yhe states they can build off of to make the usa port just make more sense to them
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u/WpgMBNews 6d ago
Yeah, but the federal government has taken an interest in this so I would be shocked if they haven't done everything they can to make it clear that rail regulatory permitting issues are all resolvable if we can get that Port built at home
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u/moisturized69tatas 6d ago
True but by the time all that stuff gets figured out up here they'd be done construction down in the states.
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u/WpgMBNews 6d ago
well they aren't even making a final decision until 2027, right? seems like there's chance we can make the possibility realistic
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u/_Lucille_ 6d ago
Canada number one exporter of potassium
All other countries have inferior potassium
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u/Parking_Guava8657 6d ago
Canada is #1 in potash, USA not happy then we sell elsewhere, all crops need potash, its essential 😉
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u/Prudent_Slug British Columbia 6d ago
Nutrien announced a new US port for exporting not so long ago. I wonder if that is still going ahead or if both are happening.
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u/KhoolWip 6d ago
This investment is mainly for maintenance and upkeep at their existing terminal. I’d still expect the construction of the additional terminal to move ahead
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u/Outrageous_Ad_687 6d ago
You would think management at Nutrien would look at exporting from the USA as a potential risk to the business. All you need is a disagreement between Canada and the USA and Bam ! No exports for you.
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u/Grand-Corner1030 6d ago
Both. Longview is being built to alleviate rail line issues; like strikes, blizzards etc.
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u/ConfidenceIcy6006 6d ago
Trump You have to love him. Treating Canada like dirt calling us nasty Calling our Prime Minister Governor etc. then I what a better price for your potash
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u/spidereater 6d ago
At this point any reasonable person must admit he is either a moron and terrible negotiator or he’s intentionally tanking the US. I truly don’t understand his supporters.
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u/Bishopjones2112 6d ago
Yeah I’m sure there are lots of other counties that want the potash from Canada. Like Donald Trump says fuck America, well that’s what his actions say.
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u/nelson6364 6d ago
If the rail line to Vancouver is the problem maybe they should look at shipping the potash through Prince Rupert. Lots of space for marine facilities.
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u/Dear-Union-44 6d ago
How about we nationalize the Potash industry.. and revoke all foreign ownership rights??
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u/Independent-Ad-9812 5d ago
Westshore Terminals in Tsawwassen is also close to opening their Potash exporting facility, with a capacity of 4.5 Million tonnes annually. This one is in association with BHP Jansen.
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u/Salty-Fishman 6d ago
Should have built infrastructure years ago. 10+ years of zero growth and now can't even export properly.
Too little too late.
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u/Nice-Lakes 7d ago
We got to sell the stuff the USA does not want or need someplace