Canada: Wheat Growers Call for Action on Port Infrastructure

Canada: Wheat Growers Call for Action on Port Infrastructure

The Wheat Growers Association of Canada is calling on the federal government to streamline environmental reviews to balance competitiveness and stewardship.

RMN News Story

Western Canadian farmers are sounding the alarm on Canada’s slow and bureaucratic infrastructure approval process, warning that critical export opportunities are being lost while global competitors move ahead.

In an article released this week, Daryl Fransoo, Saskatchewan farmer and Chair of the Wheat Growers Association, called on the federal government to overhaul the country’s port infrastructure approval process. 

In a statement released on April 11, 2025, the Association highlights Canada’s sluggish pace compared to international counterparts and urges decisive action to safeguard the economic future of Prairie agriculture.

“Western Canadian farmers produce some of the highest-quality grain in the world, but our ability to get that grain to market is being strangled by red tape,” said Fransoo. “While other countries are investing and building modern trade gateways in record time, Canada is stuck in a regulatory maze.”

The Wheat Growers point to Peru’s new Port of Chancay as a case in contrast. The port, built in just six years through a public-private partnership, now serves as a critical gateway to Asia, cutting shipping times and opening new trade routes for South America.

Meanwhile, Canada’s Roberts Bank Terminal 2 expansion—first proposed in 2007—took 18 years to receive federal approval, with construction still pending. The project was eventually approved in 2023, but only after being saddled with 370 legally binding conditions.

“Peru built a brand-new port in less than a decade. Canada took nearly two decades just to approve an expansion,” Fransoo said. “That is not a timeline that works in a global economy driven by speed and reliability.”

The Port of Vancouver, Western Canada’s primary export hub, moved a near-record 29 million metric tonnes of grain in 2024. With demand for exports like wheat, canola, lentils, potash, and coal expected to grow by 3.5% annually, the need for modern, efficient infrastructure is more urgent than ever.

“Our farms depend on these ports to stay competitive,” Fransoo continued. “Every delay in approval and construction is a delay in getting our crops to buyers in Asia, Africa, and beyond. That hurts farmers and rural communities alike.”

The Wheat Growers Association (WGA) is calling on the federal government to:

• Streamline environmental reviews to balance competitiveness and stewardship
• Eliminate duplication between federal, provincial, and municipal agencies
• Prioritize and fast-track projects that expand export capacity

“Canadian farmers aren’t asking for shortcuts—we’re asking for a system that moves at the pace of modern trade,” said Fransoo. “We stand ready to work with policymakers to build the infrastructure our economy depends on.”

Courtesy: Wheat Growers Association