The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority says surging grain and oil exports drove a record amount of cargo through its gates in the first half of the year as part of a push away from U.S. markets. The federal agency says freight volumes at the Port of Vancouver rose three per cent year-over-year for the six months ended June 30. Bulk grain exports jumped 14 per cent to a record 17.4 million tonnes, while crude oil exports rose three per cent to a record 12 million tonnes. A big chunk of the commodities shipments were bound for the Indo-Pacific, as East Asia soaked up Alberta crude while China, Europe and Mexico imported canola seed. Faced with a more protectionist United States, port authority CEO Peter Xotta says he wants to help Canada double its exports to non-U.S. markets within a decade, with America already accounting for only a fifth of crude exports through Vancouver terminals versus one-third the year before. Auto volumes through the port also rose 10 per cent year-over-year in the first half of 2026, as carmakers sought alternatives to the U.S. market. This report by Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press, was first published Sept. 21, 2026.
