The Canadian Wheat Board ships about 75% of the grain that moves through Vancouver. The balance is non-CWB grain and specialty crops marketed by the private grain companies. The division and distribution of these cars at the Port is based on: pooling for CWB grains, with the railways attempting to deliver cars to terminals in the same proportion that they were loaded by that company in the country; a car exchange for canola, based on the same principle and managed by the BC Terminal Elevator Operators; and direct commercial relations, with cars being delivered to the terminal designated by the shipper. The pooling and car exchange programs are intended to reduce the switching necessary, while maintaining an equivalent proportion of grain handle for all shippers.

The Canadian Ports Clearance Association, or CPCA (formerly BC Grain Shippers’ Clearance Association) tracks incoming sea vessels, assigns them seniority for loading and assigns vessels to specific terminals for specific loads of CWB grains. Although seniority is a consideration with assignment of vessels, the key factor is the availability of the right grain to be loaded.

Grain constitutes approximately 20 percent of the volume of product shipped through the Port of Vancouver. The Vancouver Port Authority indicates that 10,700 persons are directly employed and another 17,300 jobs are indirectly created by or induced by the Port. 27% of terminal-related jobs are attributed to grain, with a resulting gross domestic product of $1.68 billion.

Ports Task Force Report (Nov 1999)