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Delta: Canada’s gateway for goods faces a land crunch

Delta is slated for billions in a new infrastructure project—but a lack of industrial land dogs development
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At the nexus of the Fraser and the Georgia Straight, Delta’s economy revolves around the port. As the largest container terminal in Canada, Deltaport is the city's economic anchor—driving demand for industrial space and spurring infrastructure investments, like the Roberts Bank Rail Corridor and the South Fraser Perimeter Road, that connect the port to the region and the rest of Canada. There is a also major infrastructure development on the horizon that will likely make the city a more attractive option for migrant. A $3.5 billion replacement of the George Massey Bridge, will cut travel times to Richmond and Vancouver and expand access for larger ships to docks further up the Fraser River. The initial stages of construction began in the Spring of 2017. The supply of industrial land, however, remains a major concern. There is currently supply zoned on the Tsawwassen First Nation Lands, but the vast majority of Delta falls within the Agricultural Land Reserve. The city’s political leadership, however, has been proactive on the issue, with Delta mayor Lois Jackson an important voice at the regional level advocating for more supply and better protections of industrial land.