Communications

Major projects list incomplete without the Port of Vancouver, says GGC

Hana Sabah on September 11, 2025

MEDIA STATEMENT

OTTAWA, Sept. 11, 2025—Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) warns that the federal government’s major projects list remains incomplete without the inclusion of urgent upgrades required at the Port of Vancouver, Canada’s largest port and the country’s most critical trade chokepoint.

Connecting the Canadian economy to the fast-growing Indo-Pacific region, the Port of Vancouver is essential to Canada’s economic growth and prosperity. More than 50% of the grain grown in Canada is exported through the port, accounting for $35 million in daily exports of grain and grain products. Yet the infrastructure that underpins this trade, such as the Second Narrows Rail Bridge and New Westminster Rail Bridge, built in 1969 and 1904 respectively, are chokepoints at capacity with no redundancy if they fail.

GGC is calling on the Government of Canada and the Major Projects Office to designate the Port of Vancouver and its connecting rail infrastructure as a project of national significance to secure trade, protect economic growth, and maintain Canada’s reputation as a reliable supplier of essential products to the world.

Unless critical trade-enabling infrastructure is prioritized, GGC says, Canada’s nation-building agenda will remain incomplete and fall short of its economic potential.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Hana Sabah
Manager, Communications
Grain Growers of Canada
hana@graingrowers.ca | 514-834-8841

 

Grain Growers of Canada Announces New Executive

ggc2022dev on July 31, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OTTAWA, July 31, 2025—Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) is pleased to announce its newly elected executive, representing a strong and united voice for grain farmers across the country.

Scott Hepworth, a grain farmer from Assiniboia, Saskatchewan and Director with the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, has been elected Chair of GGC. With deep roots in prairie agriculture and a strong background in policy advocacy, Hepworth brings steady leadership and a clear vision to the role at a critical time for the sector. 

Joining him on the executive are Sally Parsonage, a grain farmer from Baldur, Manitoba and Secretary of Manitoba Crop Alliance, as 1st Vice Chair, and Daryl Fransoo, a grain farmer from Glaslyn, Saskatchewan and the Chair of the Wheat Growers Association, as 2nd Vice Chair. Together, they bring strong governance experience and a clear understanding of the policy environment shaping Canadian grain production. 

“We are proud to welcome our new executive, whose leadership brings valuable experience and a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing grain farmers,” said Kyle Larkin, Executive Director of GGC. “With Scott, Sally, and Daryl’s leadership in these roles, GGC is well positioned to advance short-term and long-term policy solutions that strengthen the profitability, resiliency, and viability of family-run grain farms across Canada.” 

The new executive begins its term effective immediately.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Hana Sabah
Manager, Communications
Grain Growers of Canada
hana@graingrowers.ca | 514-834-8841