NORTH VANCOUVER-based BC Rail can no longer rely on its inain sources of freight revenue, forestry and min- ing, for future growth but instead will have to look at other business ventures if it is to remain a competitive company, the president and chief executive officer of the Crown corporation Trade meeting. Paul McElligott said the future growth outlook for its core freight business looks dim and that is a direct result of the slumping mar- ket conditions in the forestry and mining sectors. “We are often providing major rate concessions to keep B.C. commodities moving. The prob- lems of those industries, which need no amplification, are our problems too. “And quite frankly, if the . railway is to survive as a viable commercial entity, we have no choice but to protect our con- tribution to the province by seek- ing new. business opportunities elsewhere. “If we stand still, we'll die a slow death and we'll be forced to return to the province for sub- sidies,”’ said McElligott. In response to the declining market conditions of the forestry and mining sectors, McElligott said BC Rail is now moving into other areas such as long-distance voice and- data service and real estate development. Last June, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecom- munications Commission (CRTC) allowed for increased competition in the multi-billion dollar long distance telephone market. As a result of that, McElligott said BC Rail has entered into a joint venture with Toronto-based Call-Net/Lightel in order to com- pete in the long distance voice and data service with B.C. Tel and Bell Canada. told a recent By Surj Rattan News Reporter $4 million to $50 million, increase employment and provide an offset to the no-growth situation we’re suffering in rail‘ freight,’’ said McElligott. He added that established tele- phone companies like BC Tel are opposed to the idea. McEliigott said BC Rail’s ex- pansion into the field will increase job opportunities in B.C. and that he is sure the North Vancouver- based company can provide a bet- Stores names & nos. save Vancouver Board of ter service, particularly to small and medium- sized businesses, at lower rates. A second arca BC Rail plans to expand into is real estate devel- opment. McElligott said the Crown cor- poration currently has about 25,000 acres of non-rail, industri- al and commercial land holdings adjacent to its railway right-of- ways. He added that the company plans to maximize the long-term value of those lands and in doing so create a stable source of addi- tional income. One of the major real estate ‘developments BC Rail hopes to become involved with is the con- troversial plan to build a three- berth deep-sea port on the estuary lands it owns in Squamish. “*‘We badiy need the port. The deal is that, we’ve agreed to hand over in excess of 800 acres of land Wednesday, December 9, 1992 —- North Shore News ~ $7 New BC Rail head addresses board of trade Paul McElligott says Crown corporation must diversify to stay competitive 46 If we stand still, we'll die a slow death and weil be forced to return to the province for subsidies. 99 to be set aside as a permanent conservation area in the estuary. in exchange for some 125 acres of Crown lands to be used for the purpose of this deep-sea port,’ said McElligott. He added that while public feedback over the last year in- dicates most of the Squamish community is in favor of the plan, a Squamish enviromental lobby wants to block the project ‘‘at all costs.’” ~ Paui McElligott “For some, it’s not a question of carefully balancing en- vironmental concerns with indus- trial development. Rather, they want no industrial development whatsoever,’’ said McElligott. “Given the decline in logging and forest-related activity in the Squamish area, we're optimistic that the majority will win the day, though in the meantime we’! just have to wait and see.” Family computing for Christmas! It comes complete with a VGA colour monitor, DMP 136 colour-capable printer, printer cable and a mouse. Use it for school work, personal finances, or game-playing fun. Desk- Mate with Home Organizer soft- ware is included, along with MS-DOS 5.0 anda 106 MB hard drive. Expandable to suit your growing needs. 25-1454 /8847/26-2868/ 288 Affordable notebook 1499° Victor notebook computer has an SO886SX 720 microprocessor, | MB RAM and a 60 MB hard drove. 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