Economic corridor actions

We are a member of the Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety, which is federal-provincial-territorial forum that facilitates collaboration on improving the transportation system’s role in moving people, goods and services, while ensuring the safety of the system. Through this Council, Alberta works to advance the province’s interests with respect to market access including matters related to corridors, air transportation and marine transportation, along with the safety of commercial drivers and vehicles.

Through this Council, Alberta has worked with federal, provincial and territorial counterparts on the following initiatives:

• Federal-Provincial-Territorial Memorandum of Understanding on Interprovincial Trucking 
• Interim Report for the Pan‑Canadian Competitive Trade Corridor Initiative
• Phase 2 Report for the Pan-Canadian Competitive Trade Corridor Initiative
• Primary Conclusions of the Working Group on Recovery of the Air Transportation Sector

Alberta is also a member of the Western Transportation Advisory Council (WESTAC), which provides opportunities for the province to work with other Western Canadian governments, transportation operators and industry on identifying solutions to challenges facing Western Canada’s supply chains.

WESTAC’s annual Compass report highlights critical insights, expectations and plans from business, labour and government executives across Canada’s transportation industry. The survey is revised annually to reflect shifting trends and events. The report has become a well-read measure of the state of transportation that identifies the major sectoral issues.

• WESTAC Compass Report 2026

As well, Alberta is a member of the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC), which is a not-for-profit, national technical association focused on road and highway infrastructure and urban transportation. In 2021, TAC released a report, entitled Understanding Goods Movement in Canada: Trends and Best Practices.

Northwest Territories

In July 2024, Alberta signed an agreement with the government of Northwest Territories to collaborate on joint economic corridor projects to boost trade and economic growth.

• Read the agreement

For more information, see Partnering with N.W.T. to expand economic corridors (July 4, 2024).

Saskatchewan and Manitoba

In April 2023, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba signed an agreement to collaborate on joint economic corridor projects to boost trade and economic growth.

• Read the agreement

For more information, see:

• Taking the lead on new nation-building projects (April 11, 2023)
• Expanding economic corridors across the Prairies (July 4, 2024)

Western Canada mutual interest

In May 2025, during the Western Premiers’ Conference, the governments of Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on the advancement of economic corridors and shared priorities within the Canadian federation.

Read the agreement.

Building on the memorandum of understanding, in May 2026, the western Premiers met during the Western Premiers’ Conference to discuss building a stronger and more secure Canada. Important topics included:

• Economic corridors to support growth and jobs
• Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement review and international trade
• Removing federal barriers to economic growth and investment
• Major projects including those in energy and critical minerals
• Arctic sovereignty and defence
• Community and school safety
• Disaster preparedness and wildfire response

Following the Western Premiers' Conference, a report was released highlighting provincial and territorial collaboration, priority infrastructure projects across the West and strategic long-term investment opportunities. The report outlines a shared vision for port-to-port-to-port trade corridors across Western Canada, including enhanced access to the Ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Churchill and Grays Bay.

• Economic Corridors in Western Canada (May 2026)

Provincial highway projects help enhance the province’s economic corridors by adding capacity for the movement of people and goods. A component of our capital spending also focuses on the rehabilitation of existing infrastructure that is relied on by Albertans, Alberta businesses and transportation carriers.

To prioritize capital projects, including those which support economic corridors, the criteria for recommendations on the Capital Plan submission consider economic, safety, social and environmental impacts, as well as cost-benefit analysis. The economic benefits of capital projects play a prominent role in the identification of those projects in the ministry’s 3-year Capital Plan.

Through our grant funding programs, Alberta municipalities can access funding for local infrastructure projects that enhance the movement of goods and people. This local infrastructure connects into broader economic corridors that provide access to other destinations within Alberta and outside the province.

In particular, 2 components of the Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program (STIP), are the Resource Road Program, which supports building and improving road infrastructure that supports industrial and economic growth, and the Community Airport Program, which supports the rehabilitation and improvement of community-owned public-use airports.