Shepard Logistics Centre Concept Approved for Industrial and Rail Expansion

In a move set to reshape the region’s industrial landscape, Rocky View County Council unanimously approved the Shepard Logistics Centre Conceptual Scheme during a public hearing on July 22. The scheme lays a robust policy foundation for future industrial development on roughly 521 hectares (1,287 acres) within the Prairie Gateway Area Structure Plan, paving the way for Canada’s newest rail‑served inland port.
This leadership move builds on the landmark Prairie Economic Gateway Agreement reached in February 2025 between Rocky View County and the City of Calgary. That agreement, a first of its kind in Alberta, forecasts more than $7 billion in regional economic activity and the creation of over 30,000 development-phase jobs over the next 10 to 12 years.
“Approving the Shepard Logistics Centre Conceptual Scheme turns this plan into action,” said RVC Reeve Crystal Kissel. “It shows how working together can create economic opportunities and lasting regional benefits.”
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek added, “This rail‑integrated inland port will deliver a real economic boost to our region while strengthening Alberta’s role in national and international trade.”
The Conceptual Scheme aligns with key planning documents, including the Rocky View–Calgary Intermunicipal Development Plan, the Prairie Gateway ASP, and the County’s Municipal Development Plan. It enables direct-control land use designation, shared servicing, and infrastructure planning tailored for large-scale industrial activity.
Positioned just east of Calgary and west of Langdon, the Shepard Logistics Centre will tap into the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) rail network—boasting over 32,000 kilometers of track across Canada, the U.S., and Mexico—and be within easy reach of Calgary International Airport.
Intended users include distribution centres, advanced manufacturing, food processors, cold storage, and transload operators. The hub promises to enhance supply chains, spur export growth, and solidify the region’s position as a resilient trade and logistics hub.
With the Conceptual Scheme approved, the project now advances to detailed engineering design, land acquisition, and infrastructure build-out, supported by a Governance Oversight Committee including the City of Calgary, Shepard Development Corporation, and senior governments.
Since its inception in 2023—and reaching agreement in early 2025—the Prairie Economic Gateway has followed a defined trajectory toward site development, with infrastructure readiness targeted by 2027 and commercial occupancy beginning through the end of the decade.
The Prairie Economic Gateway represents a bold model for regional cooperation and economic diversification in Alberta. It aligns with Calgary’s growth trajectory as one of Canada’s fastest-expanding metropolitan regions—one projected to require over 110,000 new jobs in the next five years.
By creating a new inland port with direct rail access and multimodal connectivity, the initiative offers a reliable, efficient alternative to coastal seaports and strengthens resilience amid global supply disruptions.
As implementation moves forward, Rocky View County and Calgary appear poised to redefine the region’s economic landscape—and solidify its role as Western Canada’s logistics powerhouse.