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By 2015, western Canadian container traffic will nearly triple and coal exports moving through British Columbia ports will more than double, according to a Western Transportation Advisory Council (WESTAC) study.

To handle the traffic increases, the region will need additional rail and highway capacity, and improved border crossing processes, the study states.

“We’re good for the short term but a long-term [capacity] strategy is needed,” said WESTAC President Ruth Sol in a prepared statement.

Transport Canada provided the majority of the funding for the study, which provides 10-year volume forecasts for containerized freight and six export commodities (coal, forest products, grains, fertilizer and potash, sulphur and chemicals). The study also recommends operational and investment options, and policy needs.

Founded in 1973, the non-profit WESTAC aims to promote transportation as a critical sector supporting western Canada’s economy.