Calgary positioned to become major trade and logistics hub, industry leaders say

Calgary is well-positioned to strengthen its role as a major transportation and logistics hub, but continued investment in infrastructure, automation and collaboration will be critical to future growth, industry leaders said at a recent economic development event.

The discussion took place June 11 at the TELUS Spark Science Centre during Uplook LIVE, a Calgary Economic Development (CED) event examining opportunities and challenges facing the transportation and logistics sector.

Helen de Faye, CED’s director of corporate and economic strategy, said Calgary’s connectivity and room for expansion give it a competitive advantage.

“We have the potential to become a major hub for trade and market access,” said de Faye. “We are North America’s most connected mid-sized city – and unique from other major cities, we have the land and room to grow.”

CED officials highlighted Calgary’s position as home to major transportation assets, including WestJet’s global connectivity hub, CPKC’s headquarters and the planned Prairie Economic Gateway development.

The event also explored long-term trends expected to shape the sector, including automation, faster movement of goods, new transportation networks and shifts in manufacturing and trade routes.

Rachelle Bugeaud, CED’s foresight manager, said global freight demand is expected to nearly triple by 2050, creating opportunities for businesses and regions willing to adopt new technologies.

“CED uses strategic foresight to develop insights for the future so we can develop sector strategies that take various possibilities into account,” she said. “We look at what futures are possible to create in the region, and then identify what types of skills, education and even future jobs might exist – so we can make this a reality in Calgary.”

Industry leaders participating in a panel discussion pointed to automation and supply chain efficiency as key priorities.

“What’s really important with these technologies is that we take them from proof of concept to proven concept. With the automation and AI that we can already see and do in a proof of concept, the true value shows up through industrialization,” said Dr. Sarah Flick, head of supply chain and logistics at Lufthansa Technik Canada.

Jeff Edwards, assistant vice-president of facilities, real estate and development at CPKC, said increasing the speed and predictability of supply chains will be a major factor in future competitiveness.

“If we can improve on that overall system velocity — creating capacity, efficiency and predictability — that’s going to be a measure of success in the future.”

Panelists also identified Calgary’s location, workforce and transportation infrastructure as key strengths. Edwards pointed to the railway’s hydrogen locomotive development program as an example of local innovation.

The Prairie Economic Gateway project was highlighted as a significant opportunity to increase trade capacity in the region and support growing international commerce.

“We’re starting to see produce come from Mexico into the Calgary marketplace,” said Edwards. “We’ve seen it grow from almost $0 to a $400 million business, and we see such more potential with that trade relationship. I see the Prairie Economic Gateway project as critically important.”

Speakers agreed that collaboration among industry, government and educational institutions will be necessary to ensure Calgary continues to grow as a transportation and logistics centre.

“We need to be together; to move in the same direction and collaborate,” said Tom McCaffery, executive director of the Alberta Logistics Centre of Excellence. “These sessions are critically important; we need to keep doing this and we need to keep talking.”