Atlantic Gateway

East Hants’ proximity to Halifax positions us to benefit from what we call the Atlantic Gateway Advantage.

The Municipality of East Hants has identified an economic development and investment opportunity associated with the Atlantic Canada Gateway Strategy.  East Hants is located 30 miles inland from the Port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

The vision for this project in East Hants centers around an Intermodal Logistics Centre Facility (an inland port*) at Milford Station.  The concept sees the facility developed and operated by the private sector with an estimated value of $40M plus warehousing and value added manufacturing spin offs in an adjoining logistics park valued at millions more.

The project will add capacity and growth options for the Port of Halifax to attract container traffic to and from North America.

An Economic Impact Statement has been completed, an Environmental Scan has been completed, and an Agricultural Impact Study has been completed.  The Economic Impact Statement identifies significant employment and commercial tax base growth associated with the potential project. Three comprehensive reports on the business opportunity have been completed.  Ongoing research and discussions with professional logistics business experts across North America have validated the business case for the project.

The business case effectively represents what could be called the East Hants Atlantic Gateway Advantage, which capitalizes on our location, associated and adjoining stakeholders, and vested interests and growth supporting assets.  (Examples include the Port of Halifax, CN Rail, Highway 102, Halifax Stanfield International Airport, a ready workforce and available land for growth.)

The timeline to develop the concept through to completion of the intermodal facility is open to discussion and influence given a number of variables, including the global economy, Federal and Provincial Gateway Strategies and funding programs and priorities, to mention a few.  Proponents, based on their review and assessment of the opportunity and current momentum, are projecting a five to ten year development phase at this time. The objective to move the project forward is to establish partnerships with key stakeholders, developers, operators, investors and users which would lead to an initial development agreement.

*An inland port is a facility that allows companies to off-load containers and take them to an area for sorting, storage, and where value-added activities can be conducted before sending their products to market.  The value added activities such as assembly, repackaging, and painting take place in buildings located in business parks away from the inland port facilitiy.  The value added product may leave the company site by rail, truck, or air.

For more information, please contact JD MacCulloch, Director of Economic & Business Development at jdmacculloch@easthants.ca or 1-888-883-4355.