Americold Realty Trust, a leader in temperature-controlled logistics with more than 230 warehouses operating approximately 1.4 billion refrigerated cubic feet of space worldwide, has broken ground at Port Saint John, New Brunswick, for its first import-export hub to be built in Canada. The facility is scheduled to open in 2026.
Provincial and local leaders joined company executives on May 29 to celebrate this significant investment in New Brunswick, a ceremony held in conjunction with Port Saint John’s Port Days. The new cold storage complex, set to become the sixth operated by Americold in Canada, will leverage the maritime logistics capabilities of DP World and the rail services of Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC).
“This development marks an important step forward for us,” said Rob Chambers, the Atlanta, Georgia, USA-headquartered president of operations in the Americas. “The infrastructure investments by DP World and CPKC alongside Port Saint John have attracted major global shipping lines to this location, and we are excited that our world-class cold storage facility and value-added services will support food flows between Central and Eastern Canada, Europe, South America and APAC.”
Americold will invest between $75 and $80 million to develop the import-export hub, providing approximately 22,000 pallet positions – the equivalent of over 800 full truckloads of temperature-sensitive goods. The facility will enhance trade routes between Canada and global markets, increase export capacity, improve import logistics, and support economic growth through strategic partnerships and infrastructure development.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Americold and the opportunities it brings to create jobs on our waterfront,” said Craig Bell Estabrooks, president and chief executive officer of Port Saint John. “Our extensive infrastructure investments have paved the way for leading global partners to thrive in Saint John.”
This project is expected to contribute up to $37 million in direct provincial GDP. Opportunities NB will invest up to $1.01 million in the form of a payroll rebate to assist Americold with the creation of as many as 100 jobs by the end of 2029.
“Americold’s expansion enhances the Port’s capacity to accommodate growing shipping volumes and strengthens its position as Atlantic Canada’s largest port by volume,” said Luke Randall, the minister responsible for Opportunities NB. “The investment will also improve market access for New Brunswick’s exporting companies and create good-paying jobs.”
“Our growing collaboration with Americold continues to bring new supply chain solutions to the market,” said Keith Creel, president and chief executive officer of Canadian Pacific Kansas City. “This facility builds on the unique ecosystem that CPKC and Americold are creating to provide our customers an unrivaled cold chain across Canada, the United States and Mexico.”
Doug Smith, chief executive offiecer of DP World Canada, added: “Our partnership with Americold and CPKC reflects a shared commitment to transforming supply chain efficiency and sustainability. This investment by Americold is a significant milestone in our joint mission to create seamless, end-to-end logistics solutions.”
