would not be reached for fifteen years and the 

 present capacity, 10,250,000 bushels, considered 

 adequate. 



Additional Grain Storage at Vancouver 



Additional elevator accommodation is to be 

 provided for the port of Vancouver during the 

 year according to present plans. Here the need 

 is serious, the present capacity of the port, 1,266,- 

 000 bushels, being inadequate and the capabili- 

 ties of the port being severely strained in the 

 past season. 



Vancouver entered upon a new era of activity 

 when it was discovered that grain could be 

 shipped without injury via the Panama Canal 

 route to Europe, and an ever-increasing propor- 

 tion of the Prairie Provinces' crop is destined to go 

 out in that way. It is expected that by the end 

 of the season about four million bushels of wheat 

 will have left Vancouver, and only the lack of ele- 

 vator accommodation prevents the handling of a 

 greater volume. 



It is announced that another half million is 

 to be added to Fort William's capacity, and even 

 the 55,000,000 bushels accommodation of the 

 Twin Ports is experiencing the strain of the lakes 

 grain traffic on the way to the Atlantic. Vast 

 stores of grain accumulate here during the rush 

 season following the western harvest, and the con- 

 gestion is relieved on the railroads by shipping 

 the grain in specially constructed vessels across 

 the lakes. A great volume of United States grain 

 in the 1921 season reached Montreal by this 

 route. 



These items refer only to a somewhat extra- 

 ordinary demand for terminal elevator accommo- 

 dation brought about by sudden conditions. At 

 the same time the ordinary increase of country 

 elevators and interior elevators contiguous to 

 the harvest fields, made necessary by the yearly 

 swelling grain crop, is being met. And all this 

 is making for increased activity in a hundred in- 

 dustrial lines in which this progress is reflected. 



Outlook in Western Canada 



By John Sweeting, Industrial Agent, C.P.R., 

 Winnipeg. 



The first two months of the present year have brought 

 no abatement of the feeling of confidence that there will be a 

 really satisfactory upward tendency in business conditions. 

 One cannot speak of the existing situation as one of marked 

 improvement, but in many lines of merchandise there is 

 admittedly an increase in output, and reports generally are 

 featuring a more optimistic viewpoint than hitherto has 

 been the case. 



It is a noticeable feature among rural and farming 

 population that the gloomy outlook of last Fall has de- 

 parted and a more confident tone is finding expression. 

 This has been evident among the crowds of agriculturists 

 who have gathered at the meetings held in connection with 

 the Canadian Pacific Railway mixed farming special train 

 which toured Alberta during February, travelling from the 

 the south of the province through to the most northerly 

 point of Berwyn on the E. D. & B. C. Marked interest 

 was noted in the various lectures and conferences as well 

 as the hopeful outlook as to conditions expressed by those 



present, and the demand which presented itself for the ac- 

 quisition of pure bred and grade stock to improve existing 

 dairy herds. The Alberta Government in conjunction 

 with the Railway Company worked hard to make this 

 special tour of interest and instruction, and it can be said 

 that the results will be looked upon as one of the most 

 successful that has hitherto been made. 



The various trade, agricultural and live stock conven- 

 tions held in the West during the month have shown full 

 attendance, in addition to which winter sports carnivals 

 such as that of Banff and Winnipeg have assisted in ex- 

 tending business and creating a demand for various lines 

 that otherwise might have been dormant. 



Pacific Coast Reports Encouraging 



From the Pacific Coast reports are encouraging an 

 give promise of a considerable amount of new developmen 

 and new construction. Mining plants and machinery, 

 piers and docks, public buildings and residences, and mun 

 cipal improvements are slated for this year's program. Th 

 lurr-t>er industry is talked of as showing a better outloc 

 with prospects of good export demand, with New Zealan 

 asking for quotations on over 2,000,000 boxes for its expoi 

 butter trade. The mining situation looks better with the 

 Nelson and interior district expressing confidence as to the 

 immediate outlook. There are also prospects of further 

 development in pulp and paper plants, and many other 

 industrial activities are under consideration. 



In Alberta the report of the committee of investigation 

 into conditions in the southern part of the Province has 

 been published and while detailing many activities that 

 should take place to put that territory under more scien- 

 tific producing methods expresses no fear as to the ulti- 

 mate success of farming conditions in view of the extreme 

 fertility of the soil, when properly brought under water. A 

 recommendation to continue construction of irrigation 

 works was made, bringing the different areas under the 

 the ditch just as soon as immigration enables such areas to 

 be properly farmed. At every point one sees the neces- 

 sity of fostering immigration, the most vital question for 

 settlement so far as the West is concerned to-day. 



Saskatchewan is preparing for its annual agricultural 

 developments; care will be taken to see that farmers need- 

 ing assistance and seed will get it, and great areas should 

 again be under cultivation. It is not likely that any very 

 extensive building operations will take place, but there is 

 a considerable amount of necessary municipal work to be 

 carried out, residences to be built and much road construc- 

 tion as well as extension of rural telephone lines. 



Forecast in Manitoba 



In Manitoba work is continuous on the big power plant 

 at Great Falls on the Winnipeg River. There appears to 

 be a likelihood of considerable development in mining in the 

 Elbow Lake territory, where the Hollinger interests have 

 optioned the Murray claims and have already an outfit at 

 work. The Commissioner of Northern Manitoba reports 

 a very large number of enquiries in relation to that area 

 and expects a considerable influx of mining men to continue 

 investigations. 



Applications are being made in Winnipeg and district 

 for additional housing loans as many more residences 

 are required, but just what the building program will be, it's 

 hard to tell. Work is now being done on wage schedules 

 for the ensuing season, and the result will be some 

 factor in the ultimate program. 



At the head of the Great 1 akes, Fort William and Port 

 Arthur, prospects are for construction of one or two lake 

 boats, additions to existing terminal elevators and other 

 works. Progress is being made in opening up the territory 

 westward to the Manitoba boundary, a bid being made for 

 settlers to develop some very good mixed farming areas. 



It, therefore, looks probable and quite possible, that 

 month by month the West will find an increasing trade and 

 a reasonable amount of new development, and with the 

 advent of good crop conditions, there would appear to be 

 little reason to doubt that a satisfactory state of affairs 

 can be reached before the year has ended. 



52 



