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Future of Transport & Mobility
CIFFA Director, Policy Julia Kuzeljevich (left) and Executive Director Bruce Rodgers (far right) meet with Minister of Transport Steven MacKinnon and Senior Policy Advisor Jed Graham in May 2026.
CIFFA Urges Federal Action on Trade and Supply Chain Challenges CIFFA's federal advocacy agenda focuses on border modernization, labour reform, and strategic investments to improve Canada's trade competitiveness.
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Innovation In Canadian Supply Chains Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, on how infrastructure, faster approvals and digital trade can give Canadian businesses an edge.
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anada's prosperity has always depended on our ability to move goods to the world. Today, that ability is being tested. Supply chains are shifting and long-standing trading relationships can no longer be taken for granted. Reliability is an economic advantage. To give businesses an edge, we build the supply chain of the future. First, we invest in infrastructure. That means better ports, railways, roads, airports, and trade corridors. We're expanding gateways like Contrecoeur and Roberts Bank Terminal 2, backed by the $5 billion Trade Diversification Corridors Fund and the $1 billion Arctic Infrastructure Fund. Next, we modernize government. Our “one project, one review” approach will cut red tape and speed bold ideas to construction. Finally, we digitize trade, unlocking up to $100 billion in potential. To double non-U.S. exports within a decade, governments, industry, and Indigenous partners must work together. The supply chain of the future will define our future.
The Honourable Steven MacKinnon Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
IFFA is the national voice of Canada's freight forwarding, customs brokerage, freight brokerage, drayage trucking, warehousing, and logistics industry. Representing more than 14,000 employees across 532 member companies, CIFFA's members manage approximately 80 per cent of Canada's import and export trade. As the "voice of Canada's supply chain," CIFFA is focused on addressing operational barriers, improving trade competitiveness, and strengthening Canada's transportation network. Through continuous engagement with members and government, CIFFA has developed industry-driven recommendations on issues affecting the movement of goods. A key focus is on modernizing Canada's trade and customs infrastructure. CIFFA is advocating for federal support for Phase 1 of the National Trade Single Window Initiative to streamline information sharing across government agencies. Labour policy is another area of focus, with recommendations on labour relations, transportation disruptions, and wage misclassification. For the 2026 Federal Budget Consultation, CIFFA recommends investments in CBSA infrastructure, the National Trade Single Window Initiative, labour reforms, and an extension of the temporary federal fuel excise tax suspension. Written by Julia Kuzeljevich
Visit ciffa.com to read more about our association and its three pillars of membership, education, and advocacy. Read the full opinion piece at innovatingcanada.ca.
This article was sponsored by CIFFA.
Publisher: Ugo Galtier Business Development Manager: Maya Mezerhane Content & Client Success Manager: Nicole Kansakar Country Manager: Samantha Taylor Creative Director: Kylie Armishaw Digital Traffic Manager: Vansh Chandwaney All images are from Getty Images unless otherwise credited. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve Maclean’s Magazine or its editorial departments. Send all inquiries to ca.editorial@mediaplanet.com.
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YMX: Canada’s First Integrated Aerospace Technology Park Propelled by ADM Aéroports de Montréal, YMX is a leading technology park. With its world-class airport infrastructure, it provides a strategic space to innovate, design, test, manufacture, and commercialize current and future civil and defense aerospace products and technologies. YMX Tech Park has a bold ambition: to thrive as a global leader in aerospace innovation With its world-class infrastructure, vast available land, flight-testing capacity, and strong industrial ecosystem, the site is well positioned to reach that goal. At the heart of YMX is a hub anchored within Québec’s Aerospace Innovation Zone — enhancing the industrial site’s value proposition, emerging as a strategic asset for capturing opportunities in key sectors shaping the future of the industry, such as aerospace skills training and development, advanced air mobility, defence, energy, and Industry 4.0/5.0. Nearly 50 companies already leverage the site’s unique assets, working alongside this rapidly growing innovation hub to accelerate the development, testing, and deployment of their innovations. One of these companies is Airbus. Building on its long-standing presence at YMX, where key development activ-
ities for the A220, one of the world’s most advanced and efficient aircraft, are carried out, the company has expanded its operations by establishing Protospace, a unique centre for innovation, experimentation, productivity, and talent development. In collaboration with Exo-Drone, Airbus is also deploying an automated drone surveillance project, demonstrating the convergence of innovation, operational efficiency, and safety. The National Research Council of Canada is launching its advanced air mobility initiatives at Mirabel through the Drone Innovation Centre, which will support the research, testing, validation, and commercialization of new drone technologies. BOREALIS has also chosen YMX to implement its Uncrewed Systems Defence Innovation Secure Hub (Nexus DISH) to accelerate defence innovation. Both of these initiatives will leverage YMX’s Advanced Air Mobility Control Center, designed to help opening the air space
for this rising industry. YMX Tech Park brings together infrastructure, industry, research, and education to support projects from research and testing through commercialization. The ecosystem’s collaborative approach and capacity to drive growth continuously strengthen Greater Montréal, Québec, and Canada’s position as global leaders in the aerospace industry, and the leadership of companies contributing to its development.
Visit admtl.com to learn more.
This article was sponsored by Aéroports de Montréal.
Written by Tania Amardeil
Why Trade Diversification Matters to Canada’s Competitiveness As Canada expands its global trade relationships, resilient supply chains and strategic infrastructure will be key to long-term competitiveness.
C Visit port-montreal.com to learn why the Port of Montreal is a strategic gateway for Canadian businesses looking to diversify trade and strengthen competitiveness. This article was sponsored by Port of Montreal.
anada can leverage its strong network of trade agreements as a powerful competitive advantage. The infrastructure that puts those agreements into action gives businesses the capacity and connections to move goods to the markets they open. As global trade becomes more uncertain, diversification has become a commercial imperative. First and foremost, it’s now a question of economic sovereignty. Canada needs the capacity to choose where and how it trades. That’s why the Port of Montreal’s Contrecœur expansion matters. Located downstream from Montreal, Contrecœur will increase the port’s capacity by
roughly 60 per cent. With two berths, an intermodal rail yard, and direct road connections, the new terminal will strengthen Canada’s eastern gateway to global markets.
It’s time for Canadian businesses to diversify More capacity means more than moving more containers. It gives Canadian importers and exporters greater choice: more potential markets, more trade routes, and more resilience when disruptions hit. The opportunity is particularly important for Canadian producers looking beyond traditional markets. Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Africa, and other growing markets aren’t simply destina-
tions on a map — they represent opportunities for Canadian goods to reach new customers. Infrastructure, however, only creates the opportunity. Businesses have to seize it. Canadian exporters and importers should be thinking now about how the Port of Montreal can fit into their international supply chains — and how new routes and markets can strengthen their competitiveness. Trade diversification is no longer just a policy objective. It’s a business strategy based on reliable infrastructure and commercial routes.
Written by Paul Bird, CEO, Montreal Port Authority