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The new Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership has a direct impact on Vancouver, which hosts Canada’s largest port.

About $1 in every $3 of what Canada imports and exports beyond North America goes through the Port of Vancouver, and that number is sure to grow with the new trade deal, not to mention the end of NAFTA should that come to pass.

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The very significant majority of the additional trade as a result of this new agreement will come via containers, part of a worldwide trend that has favoured their efficiency since they were introduced in the 1950s.

In Vancouver, those containers will leave loaded with Canadian grain, lumber and food products, among other goods. They’ll come back filled with appliances, clothing and other consumer products, as well as auto parts and other manufactured goods.

The resulting challenge for the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority becomes how to manage that growth in the densely populated Lower Mainland, respecting the impact on local communities of more rail and truck traffic, and protecting the environment after necessary project development.