Prince George is Canada's western-most inland port and British Columbia's first Foreign Trade Zone. A Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) is an officially designated location that is eligible for tariff and tax exemptions on raw materials, components, or finished goods imports. Investing in the Prince George FTZ helps businesses connect with provincial, national, and international markets by way of the city's transportation network:
- The Prince George Airport (YXS).
- A CN intermodal terminal.
- Provincial Highways 16 and 97.
- Access to the Port of Prince Rupert and the Port of Metro Vancouver.
For more information on the FTZ boundaries:
Foreign Trade Zone Benefits
Opportunities
Airport Land
- 283 hectares (ha) of leasable land.
- Airside general aviation
- Airside Cargo
- Multipurpose
- 929 square metres of cargo warehouse leasable area.
- Security fenced.
Global Logistics Park Land
- Over 1,214 hectares of shovel-ready light industrial land.
- Privately owned.
- Option to have direct airside access with security fence.
One-Window Task Force
Prince George's single-window service allows investors direct access to:
- Canada Border Services Agency
- Canada Revenue Agency
- Transport Canada
- Foreign Affairs and Trade Development
- Industry Canada
- Export Development Canada
For more information on the One-Window Task Force, contact the Economic Development staff.
Economic Development
City Hall - 1st Floor
1100 Patricia Boulevard
Prince George, BC V2L 3V9
Canada
Phone: 250-561-7633
Email: ecdev@princegeorge.ca
Road Access
Provincial Highway 16
- Two-lane paved highway suitable for hauling loads up to a maximum of 85 tonnes.
- Connects Prince George with Prince Rupert, BC and Edmonton, Alberta.
Provincial Highway 97
- Two and four-lane paved highway suitable for hauling loads up to a maximum of 85 tonnes.
- Connects Prince George to Vancouver, BC/USA and north to the Peace River and Alaska.
Rail Access
Prince George is home to one of 10 Canadian CN intermodal terminals, which is located three kilometres from the FTZ via Highway 16. The rail line that passes through PG has the maximum CN line capacity of approximately 130 tonnes (286,000 pounds) and can handle railway cars 14 metres or longer.
CN has six CN-served ports in North America and Prince George is located 700 kilometres from two of them (Port of Prince Rupert and Port Metro Vancouver). The CN rail line from both BC Ports run through Prince George and connects east to Halifax and south to New Orleans.
CN Rail intermodal terminal offers:
- 40 railcar spots.
- 7,804 square metres of warehouse space.
- Two hectares (five acres) of outside storage.
- Security fenced.
- Rail connectivity to the Ports of Prince Rupert, Vancouver, and the American Midwest.
Air Access
Prince George Airport (YXS) is fully equipped for cargo shipments and approximately 550 tonnes arrive every year. The majority comes from Purolator aircraft, which operates five days per week, year-round. Major airlines at the airport include Air Canada, WestJet, Central Mountain Air, and Pacific Coastal. In 2016, the airport saw over 460,000 passengers and features:
- The fourth longest commercial runway in Canada (3,490 metres).
- 283 hectares (700 acres) of commercial airside and ground side land for lease.
- 929 square metres of warehouse space.
- Fuel storage tanks able to hold 600,000 litres for carriers to store and access fuel at below ad-hoc market rates.
For more information:
Port Access
Prince George is strategically located in the geographical centre of British Columbia and is directly linked to four North American ports.
Port of Prince Rupert
- 722 kilometres west of Prince George and accessible via Highway 16 and CN Rail.
- Up to three days closer to Asia than other traditional ports in North America.
- Deepest natural port in North America.
- Container, coal, grain, and wood pellet terminals.
- Future LNG terminal.
For more information:
Stewart World Port
- 698 kilometres west of Prince George and accessible via Highways 16 and 97.
- Private port (no port authority fees or congestion).
- North America's most northern ice-free port.
- 41 hectares (100 acres) of laydown.
For more information:
Port of Kitimat
- 630 kilometres west of Prince George and accessible via Highways 16 and 97 and CN Rail.
- Private port (no port authority fees or congestion).
- Location for the LNG Canada liquefaction facility and terminal.
For more information:
Port of Vancouver
- 788 kilometres south of Prince George and accessible via Highway 97 and CN Rail.
- Fourth largest tonnage port in North America.
- 28 major marine cargo terminals.
For more information:
Logistics
Prince George offers a wide range of logistics opportunities. For a full list of ground, air, and rail transportation companies, refer to the city's online Business Directory.