The new facility is intended to reduce an air cargo bottleneck currently at the airport by improving its access to the regional highway system, to Burnside Business Park in Halifax, and to cargo facilities throughout the Atlantic region. The project will also include development and construction of new cargo handling facilities at the airport.
The Canadian federal government and Nova Scotian regional government have released statements confirming the spending of C$23 million to pay for the new logistics park. The federal government is allocating $18 million, from the National Trade Corridors Fund, for the project, while the Nova Scotia is contributing the other $5 million. The logistics park is expected to create more than 3,000 jobs in the first year of operation.
YHZ already handles more than 70 percent of Atlantic Canada air cargo exports, with continued growth in demand for the airport’s largest single export category – fresh seafood.
Nova Scotia’s Minister of Transportation, Lloyd Hines, said that the Air Cargo Logistics Park “investment will help meet the demand for our products” while reaching new markets.