Published originally in Gateway 2017 (pg. 44-45), April 24, 2017

Behind the desk at Ashcroft Terminal’s administrative office in Vancouver is an inspiringly Canadian painting. Created by artist Jan Kasparec, the work depicts a lone, stationary train on a track through an alluring natural environment like that of British Columbia’s Interior.

The painting is an eloquent pairing of two inter-connected themes: the rugged beauty of the Canadian landscape and the importance of and reliance on movement across that landscape.

Movement and transportation help define Canadians’ way of life, and, says Kleo Landucci, managing director of Ashcroft Terminal, it’s time for movement of goods within our country to rise to a more sophisticated level of efficiency.

Published originally in Ashcroft Creek Journal , April 3rd, 2017

The provincial government is providing up to $150,000 to study the feasibility of expanding the Ashcroft Terminal to improve the efficiency of the transportation corridors to and from the Lower Mainland ports.

Deputy premier Rich Coleman was at the Ashcroft Terminal on April 2, along with Fraser-Nicola MLA Jackie Tegart, Ashcroft mayor Jack Jeyes, Ashcroft Terminal president and CEO Bob Landucci, and the terminal’s managing director, Kleo Landucci, to make the announcement.

Published originally in BC Gov News, March 31st, 2017

The Province is investing up to $150,000 to study the feasibility of expanding Ashcroft Terminal to improve efficiency of the transportation corridors to and from the Lower Mainland ports, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone announced today.

“Finding innovative ways to move Canadian goods from source to overseas markets through our Lower Mainland ports is vital to trade and to Canada’s and B.C.’s economic success,” said Stone. “Container volume moving through the ports is expected to grow, so we need to manage increasing congestion on our roads and at the ports. Inland ports, such as Ashcroft Terminal, have the potential to ease congestion and increase capacity of land-constrained marine ports and to help improve supply chain efficiency.”

Published originally in Real Estate News Exchange, November 3rd, 2016

Metro Vancouver commuters and transporters are enjoying new and improved bridges and roads, but a severe shortage of industrial space to lease or buy continues to bottleneck the movement of goods and people, say local stakeholders and experts.

Vancouver Leasing ConferenceThe current industrial vacancy rate in Metro Vancouver is 2-3% said Lee Hester, a senior vice-president with JLL in Vancouver while a healthy industrial vacancy rate is considered to be in the 5-6% range.

Western Canada's first Inland Ports Conference was: (i)crucial to Western Canada's trade related transportation and logistics; (ii) vital to understanding the relationship between insland ports and seaports; (iii) valuable to regional and provincial economic development; (iv) full of unexpected comments. The only correct answer has to be (v) all of the preceding, but participants could be forgiven for additional commentary such as (vi) a long overdue and much-needed discussion; (vii) critical to Canada's international trade performance; and even (viii) a nation-building event.