Carney backs Roberts Bank Terminal 2 expansion in Delta

Prime Minister Mark Carney has endorsed the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority's Roberts Bank Terminal 2 expansion proposal, saying Port of Vancouver capacity will not meet Canada's economic goals within the next decade.

Carney made the comments Thursday while touring Global Container Terminals' Deltaport facility in Delta. He said the port already has more capacity than Canada's next five largest ports combined, but that more capacity and connected infrastructure will be needed to diversify trade and increase trade with Asian countries.

He said the federal government is looking at investing more than $10 billion to expand the port and shift exports away from the United States by more than 50 per cent. Carney said the initiative could create more than 18,000 construction jobs and another 17,000 full-time jobs in operating the added capacity, with broader benefits for businesses across Canada.