Minister of Transport Announces a National Supply Chain Summit
December 21, 2021
Ensuring that essential goods reach middle class Canadian households as quickly as possible, and that food, medicine and other critical supplies are accessible to all who need them, is a top priority for the Government of Canada. Yet, Canada’s transportation supply chains have been significantly impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic and recent extreme weather events.
That is why the Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport, announced that he will host a National Supply Chain Summit in early 2022. This summit will bring together industry, shippers and organizations that run critical infrastructure to discuss how to better streamline Canada’s supply chain.
The National Supply Chain Summit will serve as an opportunity to convene a broad range of supply chain stakeholders to discuss challenges, strategies, and next steps that will enable a swift recovery of Canada’s transportation supply chain. Facilitating open discussions will allow the Government of Canada to identify ways to mitigate supply chain pressures, and to encourage partners to come up with innovative solutions. For the participants, it will also be an opportunity to hear about the Government’s key priorities as it builds back better from COVID-19 and recent natural disasters.
An efficient and reliable transportation network is key to Canada’s economic growth. With the help and collaboration of thousands of workers in Canada’s ports, terminals, railway and trucking sectors, the supply chains are continuing to move critical goods despite challenges. The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring existing supply chain disruptions are addressed by strengthening the integrity of Canada’s transportation systems.
The 2021 budget provided an additional $1.9 billion over four years to recapitalize the National Trade Corridor Fund that makes Canada’s supply chain more efficient and supports economic recovery.