DP World Vancouver expansion increases terminal capacity, waterfront hours

A new report by KPMG for the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association highlights DP World’s terminal expansion at the Port of Vancouver as a driver for both trade capacity and workforce growth.

The study, Technology, Training & Job Growth at Canada’s West Coast Ports: 2009 to 2025, reveals that a $600-million decade-long Centerm Expansion Project increased terminal capacity by 65 per cent—from 900,000 TEUs to 1.5 million TEUs—while expanding its physical footprint by only 15 per cent.

Concurrently, waterfront payroll hours at Centerm rose 59 per cent to 1.328 million in 2025, while foreperson headcount increased by 75 per cent. The report notes that overall B.C. port workforce grew 71 per cent between 2009 and 2025, supported by $377 million invested in workforce training and upskilling since 2010.