Feds looking for supply chain digitization proposals

Transport Canada has announced another round of funding for supply chain digitization projects.

The new call for proposals, Advancing Supply Chain Digitalization, falls under the National Trade Corridors Fund. Transport Canada will commit up to $50 million to support eligible projects.

Under the new call, Transport Canada is seeking industry-led projects that strengthen Canada’s digital infrastructure. Projects supported will:

• increase the efficiency and reliability of our transportation supply chains;
• relieve bottlenecks;
• ensure Canadians have access to all the affordable products and goods that they need;
• and help develop digital solutions and optimize Canada’s supply chains.

Applicants are invited to submit a Streamlined Project Proposal to Transport Canada by April 11, 2023, at 17:00 Eastern Standard Time, through the National Trade Corridors Fund online application portal.

Eligible applicants include not-for-profit and for-profit private sector organizations; Canada Port Authorities; and National Airport Systems airport authorities. For-profit entities may apply, but applications will only be considered of the benefits accrue broadly to the sector, rather than the entity itself.

This new call for proposals is part of the broader $136 million Advancing Industry-Driven Digitalization of Canada’s Supply Chain initiative, which aims to develop digital solutions to optimize and strengthen Canada’s supply chains.

“The digitization of our supply chain infrastructure is the way of the future. That’s why today’s announcement is important because the projects that will be funded by this call for proposals will make a real difference in improving our supply chains while creating good middle-class jobs and making lives more affordable to Canadians,” said transport minister Omar Alghabra.

The National Trade Corridors Fund is a competitive, merit-based program designed to help infrastructure owners and users invest in the transportation assets that support economic activity in Canada. A total of $4.7 billion over 11 years (2017-2028) has been allocated to the program.