Acceleration agreement signed for Prairie Economic Gateway

Key Takeaways:

• The City of Calgary, Rocky View County, and the Canada Infrastructure Bank have signed a project acceleration MOU to advance planning for the Prairie Economic Gateway inland port.
• The agreement moves the rail-served project into detailed due diligence to assess the technical, commercial, and financial feasibility of essential off-site public infrastructure.
• Local leaders and the Calgary Construction Association highlighted the hub’s potential to strengthen supply chains, attract private investment, and create a long-term runway of construction jobs across the region.

The Whole Story:

A major trade-enabling logistics hub just got one step closer to construction.

Calgary, Rocky View County, and the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) have executed a project acceleration Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance the Prairie Economic Gateway, a major rail-anchored inland port and multimodal logistics hub planned east of Calgary. The agreement transitions the trade-enabling infrastructure project from initial engineering design into a detailed due diligence phase, focusing on the financing, technical feasibility, and delivery models required for public off-site infrastructure prior to final construction decisions.

Situated along the CPKC mainline within Canada’s Prairie Core Trade Corridor, the Prairie Economic Gateway is designed to relieve supply chain bottlenecks at coastal ports by providing direct first-mile and last-mile freight connections. The hub will integrate rail, air cargo access via Calgary International Airport, and major highway networks to support regional manufacturing, distribution, and industrial expansion. The project acceleration agreement builds upon an initial exploratory MOU signed by the municipalities and the federal infrastructure bank in early 2025.

“This agreement with the Canada Infrastructure Bank is an important step toward finalizing the infrastructure investments needed to unlock new trade, logistics and industrial development, create jobs and strengthen Calgary’s competitiveness,” said Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas. “By working with our regional partners and the Canada Infrastructure Bank, we are building the foundation for sustainable long-term growth that benefits residents, businesses and the broader regional economy.”

Rocky View County Reeve Sunny Samra noted that the hub represents a long-term economic catalyst for the municipality. “Prairie Economic Gateway is a generational opportunity to attract investment, create jobs and strengthen Rocky View County’s position as a trade and transportation hub,” Samra said. “The Canada Infrastructure Bank’s expertise will help us assess the infrastructure needs and financing options required to bring this vision to life.”

The regional initiative has drawn strong backing from local industry groups, including the Calgary Construction Association (CCA), which emphasized that building the public off-site infrastructure will generate a multi-year runway of work for regional contractors, skilled trades, suppliers, and engineering firms.

“This agreement is an important step toward moving a first-of-its-kind regional infrastructure project closer to construction,” the Calgary Construction Association said in a statement. “The Gateway represents a generational opportunity to strengthen Calgary’s position as a major hub for trade, logistics, manufacturing, distribution, and industrial growth. Large-scale, trade-enabling infrastructure is essential to building a more competitive and resilient economy, particularly as Canada looks to improve supply chain reliability, expand market access and support economic diversification across the Prairies.” The CCA added that local builders stand ready to deliver the civil infrastructure required to turn the project into real, on-the-ground economic results.