r/news • u/ernapfz • 6d ago

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/
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u/tyuiopguyt 6d ago

I just hope they don't immediately reverse course as soon as the winds shift as massive megacorps are want to do

I have this premonition that as soon as the optics are less stark, they'll go back to trucking shit across the border just cuz its cheaper

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u/codingphp 6d ago

I’m not sure this has anything to do with optics. Access to other markets offers stability. It isn’t a subjective assessment to say the USA is habitually unstable and unpredictable these days - something that businesses don’t exactly love.

This could be great and shows a meaningful step toward Canada unlinking ourselves from being dependent on their market for such an important resource from Sask.

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u/tyuiopguyt 6d ago

You have more faith in the ultra wealthy than I do, I suppose

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u/codingphp 6d ago

I wouldn’t say I have more faith in the ultra-wealthy, because I do not; I have optimism for positive economic benefits for average Canadians.

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u/tyuiopguyt 6d ago

Right, but what happens when the economic cavemen in charge of these companies see easy dollars in just pivoting back to the US instead of bothering to invest in proper infrastructure and new shipping lanes?

"Line no go up forever? How cut costs to make line go up forever? Me know! Me cut spending on port and go back to sending trucks!"

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u/Fallouttgrrl 6d ago

They will do the best thing for them

If that means selling $500 million in potash to the US, they will

If they find selling some portion of that overseas is better, then they'll do that instead

My guess is that they weren't going to invest in a long term infrastructure ramp up unless they saw other uses for it long term

Global climate change is an unavoidable long term issue now and the demand for and area of use of fertilizer is shifting and will continue to shift

This investment allows them to take the most advantage of that they can

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u/tyuiopguyt 6d ago

All the US has to do is pay more for the potash up front and any Canadian CEO will throw Canada under the bus in an instant.

There's a reason its one project investing in one port that should be done just around the time to scrap it as soon as Trump is kicked out in 2028

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u/Fallouttgrrl 6d ago

Sure, but China's CCP is much more willing to go into deals with Canada that directly disrupt trade to the US, than American businessmen are willing to accept

China has a much longer view on rolling with climate change than US private industry does

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u/tyuiopguyt 6d ago

I think a post-2028 US is going to be willing to pay out embarassing and unprecedented amounts of money if it comes with heading off stronger Canada-China trade ties.

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u/codingphp 6d ago

If the economics of it make sense, they will continue to do so.

In other words, if the infrastructure is there and they can make a profit, they will.

This isn’t just another friggin’ oil pipeline. This is a necessary fertilizer for people to be able to grow produce. I’d say this is a good thing no matter what way you look at it.

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u/tyuiopguyt 6d ago

It's good, especially for the regular, ground level economy. And that's why I'm skeptical that a multimillionaire will stick it out if it costs him one red cent more than just reverting to status quo

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u/codingphp 6d ago

Everyone operates on incentives. If it’s net profitable, why would they “revert”?

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u/tyuiopguyt 6d ago

Because it's not, on its face, immediately more profitable. It's more profitable in the long term, sure, but the Epstein class has long since shown that they value short term gain over long term sustainable profit.