CN terminal in Brampton, Ontario. Photo: courtesy of CN.
Canadian National Railway Company (CN) has announced plans to build a C$250 million intermodal and logistics hub adjacent to its main line approximately 30 miles west of Toronto in Milton, with access to major highways connected to the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).
The new facility will complement CN's existing Toronto-area Brampton Intermodal Terminal (BIT), which is nearing capacity but will continue to operate for the long term.
"CN's advanced intermodal and logistics facility in Milton will help us efficiently handle growing intermodal traffic,” stated Claude Mongeau, CN president and CEO. “The new hub will benefit our customers and the regional economy by improving central Canada's access to the key trans-border market as well as the Pacific and Atlantic coast trade gateways we serve, generating new supply chain efficiencies in the GTHA, and creating well-paying local jobs."
The new intermodal and logistics hub is expected to attract more warehousing distribution centers in the Milton and Halton areas and create more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs. It will also supply additional intermodal capacity and container availability for exporters in the southwest area of the GTHA.
CN will submit a complete project description of the planned Milton hub to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency for review.
"CN is committed to a comprehensive engagement process with the community at every step of this project in Milton," said Mongeau.
CN's intermodal business, which is principally containerized international and domestic cargo, is one of the company's fastest growing business segments and its largest single business unit. In 2014, CN's intermodal sector had revenues of more than C$2.7 billion.