NS outlines series of Atlantic Gateway projects

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia Premier Rodney MacDonald gave a broad outline of the potential infrastructure projects that will help transform Nova Scotia into the Atlantic Gateway of North America.

Specifically, the ministry states in a press release, the premier highlighted a new multi-transportation corridor to Halifax’s Ocean terminal, a new Gateway Logistics Park adjacent to the Burnside Industrial Park, the Burnside Connector, and twinning Highway 104 from Antigonish to Port Hawkesbury, a new refrigerated terminal at Halifax Stanfield International Airport, and dredging Sydney Harbour as part of the initial proposed changes.

“We need to transform aspects of our infrastructure in order to meet the economic opportunities that importing and exporting will offer in the years ahead,” Premier MacDonald, at a Nova Scotia Chambers of Commerce breakfast in Halifax. “These projects are tangible examples of how we can reach our full Gateway potential, and also meet our government’s immediate priority of building better roads and infrastructure — another step toward a new Nova Scotia.”

The Atlantic Gateway concept would transform the
Maritimes into a major 21st century trading center.

The multi-transportation corridor involves paving vehicle lanes beside the rail track in what is now known as the “rail cut” that takes trains to the Ocean terminal in downtown Halifax. This multi-trans corridor would serve a number of functions: Reduce the time it takes for a transport truck to go from Ocean terminal to the highway, thus cutting costs, congestion on downtown city streets and greenhouse-gas emissions from trucks idling at lights.

“The multi-trans corridor is the perfect example of a Gateway project because it helps us move toward our environment, economic and infrastructure targets simultaneously, and creates a business advantage for a company choosing Nova Scotia as its Gateway,” said the premier.

Gateway Logistics Park, which would be adjacent to the Burnside Industrial Park, would receive containers that do not go to final destinations immediately. There, they could be broken down into smaller shipments, or combined with others to create larger shipments. The logistics park would also include a new Logistics Centre of Excellence to allow for skills training and development, and research into transportation and logistics, which would be led by Nova Scotia’s community colleges and universities.

The premier also listed twinning Highway 104 from Antigonish to Port Hawkesbury and dredging Sydney Harbour as Gateway projects that will improve the efficiency of transporting goods to or from the Strait or Sydney ports.

“But this list is not the complete Gateway picture,” MacDonald concluded. “What we have today are the initial results of thinking differently to take advantage of the immediate Gateway opportunity. “I encourage Nova Scotia’s business community to do the same — think differently, and think big to find your place within the Gateway concept.”