Mr. Chair and honourable members, I'm here today representing Melford Atlantic Gateway.
We're not here to ask for help with planning or permissions. We've done the work. Melford is a greenfield development consisting of a large marine terminal, construction of 32 kilometres of rail and a logistics park.
We are the most shovel-ready infrastructure project in Canada today. The federal and provincial environmental permits are secured for our 1,800-acre industrial site, which is completely free of urban congestion. We have consulted and secured first nations investment in the project. We have an eight-year labour agreement in place providing the exact long-term stability that global shipping lines demand. The project is private sector-led, ready to be built. What we need now is a country ready to back it.
Today, a massive volume of Canadian trade is moving through U.S. ports. When we rely on our competitors, like New York and New Jersey, which handled 8.7 million TEUs last year, Canadian jobs and economic activities follow that cargo south of the border.
Melford isn't just about stopping leaks to the U.S.; it's about opening Canada to the world. The Province of Nova Scotia recognizes Melford's importance, as demonstrated in the letter of support sent in October from Premier Houston to Prime Minister Carney requesting that Melford be included as a priority.
We urgently need this big-ship capacity. Over the past 35 years, Canada's share of east coast container volume plummeted from 7.3% to 2.8%, yet on the west coast, Canada's market share grew by more than 300%. The west coast achieved this success because of federal government support and investment in new terminals—Deltaport and Prince Rupert.
On the east coast, we now have the exact same opportunity. Melford can be the Prince Rupert of the east. With a 36.5-metre natural deep harbour and no air draft restrictions, we can handle the ultra-large container vessels that define the future of global shipping.
Melford provides much-needed big-ship capacity. A port capable of receiving the largest vessels will increase the total volume of cargo handled by Canada. Cargo moving through Melford could feed and utilize other east coast and seaway ports, rather than watching those lose port share to U.S. competitors due to congestion or vessel size limitations. As the maritime adage goes, a rising tide lifts all ships. This has been proven to be true on the west coast, where both Prince Rupert and Vancouver have flourished since Prince Rupert's opening.
What Melford adds is capacity, resilience and future-proofing of Canada's supply chains. Furthermore, while we're focused on developing a deepwater container port, Melford has recently attracted interest from a variety of sectors that recognize the site's unique attributes. It's an optimal location to serve as a logistics hub for onshore and offshore wind—including supporting wind west—pulp and paper, steel mills and defence-related activities. However, none of these broader economic activities can be utilized without the construction of the terminal.
Our recommendations to this committee are straightforward.
One, formally recognize Melford as a national strategic asset for trade diversification.
Two, prioritize shovel-ready infrastructure investments that can unlock projects of national significance that have already cleared regulatory and consultation hurdles.
Thank you. I look forward to your questions.