The Squamish Chamber of Commerce has a well written and comprehensive resolution to be submitted to the BC Chamber at their AGM and Policy Convention in Fort St. John, June 1-3. The resolution asks that the entire BC Rail corridor, from Squamish to Fort Nelson, be included in provincial Long Range Infrastructure Planning.
It emphasizes the usefulness and importance of the corridor as a relief line to the constraints and bottlenecks of the existing mainline rail corridor to the Port of Vancouver; as a resiliency line when the mainline corridor is unavailable; and as a north-south link providing tidewater access to the Cariboo and Northern B.C.
The third point is relevant to the current Federal and Provincial Governments’ plans to fast track resource development in B.C. as part of the Nation Building Initiative. Access to tidewater for bringing heavy equipment in and shipping bulk products out would support resource development projects.
Many of the resolution’s points have been made by Transport Action and others. Note that at this time, this is a draft resolution by the Squamish Chamber of Commerce.
