Winnipeg – The Manitoba government and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen economic corridors and supply chains connecting Manitoba businesses and the products they make to customers in global markets through the Port of Vancouver—bolstering the province’s and Canada’s competitiveness as a trading nation during a time of economic uncertainty.
The MOU, signed October 27, 2025, will see both parties collaborate to strengthen trade infrastructure, align policies and priorities, and expand Manitoba’s access to international markets through the Port of Vancouver. This agreement will unlock new opportunities for producers, manufacturers, and exporters in Manitoba, underscoring a Team Canada commitment to advancing Canadian trade and reinforcing the Port of Vancouver’s role as a national gateway.
Both the Manitoba government and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority play vital roles in delivering prosperity for Canadians:
- Manitoba has what the world needs, shipping more than $4.5 billion in exports through the Port of Vancouver in 2024. The port serves as a major gateway for Manitoba’s exports, especially to Indo-Pacific markets, a region that will be vital for Canada to realize its trade diversification goals. Manitoba exports everything from soybeans and wheat to industrial machinery, and consumer goods—products that rely on efficient access to international markets.
- The Port of Vancouver is Canada’s largest and North America’s most diversified port, generating over $16 billion in annual GDP and sustaining more than 130,000 jobs across the country. Its 29 major terminals and more than 1,000 tenants move about $300 billion in trade every year across four sectors (auto, bulk, break-bulk, container), as well as support cruise operations.
“This MOU reflects our shared dedication to enhancing the resiliency and competitiveness of Canada’s supply chains,” said Peter Xotta, president and chief executive officer, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. “By deepening our collaboration with the Manitoba government, we are helping deliver the products Manitobans make, mine, harvest and grow to global markets – particularly in Indo-Pacific markets, a region that will represent 50 percent of the world’s GDP by 2040.”
“This partnership is an important step in supporting Manitoba’s economic growth and expanding our province’s access to international markets,” said Honourable Lisa Naylor, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Government of Manitoba. “By strengthening connections between Manitoba and the Port of Vancouver, we are helping Manitoba industries reach new markets and reinforcing the province’s role in Canada’s trade future.”
The MOU will remain in effect for five years and marks a continuation of the longstanding cooperative relationship between the two parties.
(D. Little photo captures Peter Xotta, president and chief executive officer, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, Catherine McLay, Chair of the Board, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, and the Honourable Lisa Naylor, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Government of Manitoba.)