Minister of Transport announces funding for a new container terminal at the Port of Montréal

CONTRECOEUR, QC, Oct. 10, 2023 /CNW/ - An efficient and reliable transportation system is essential to keeping communities connected and making life more affordable for all Canadians. The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring our supply chains remain strong, resilient, and adaptable to the effects of climate change.

Today, the Minister of Transport and Quebec Lieutenant, Pablo Rodriguez, announced an investment of up to $150 million under the National Trade Corridors Fund to build a new container terminal for the Montréal Port Authority within the city of Contrecoeur, Québec.

The new terminal would increase the Port of Montréal's container capacity to meet the growing need for cargo transportation and help maintain the fluidity of the Port's operations. The construction for the new terminal will include:

• a 675 metre-long dock, including the approach area for ships;
• a rail network connecting to the existing Canadian National Railway (CN) tracks, including a railway transfer point and freight transfer hub;
• road access to connect the terminal to the public network;
• a container handling yard; and
• operations and administrative buildings.

These improvements will strengthen links between Canada and world markets and provide Canadian companies with the port infrastructure they need to remain competitive. Once completed, the new terminal is expected to increase the annual value of imports and exports handled at the port, generating up to $140 million per year across the country. In addition, this project would increase the total capacity of the Port of Montréal by 55 percent.

The Government of Canada continues to invest to make the country's supply chain stronger, to boost economic growth, and to create more opportunities for our businesses to grow internationally. This represents another long-term commitment to work with stakeholders on important infrastructure projects to address transportation bottlenecks, vulnerabilities, and congestion along Canada's trade corridors.

Quotes

 "The Port of Montreal is an economic driver for the province of Quebec and Montreal, and a key element of our national supply chain. By supporting the Port in its expansion project in Contrecœur, we continue our efforts to strengthen Canada's supply chain. This is important so that we never again have to go through product shortages like we experienced during the pandemic, or the significant price increases that came along with them. "

Pablo Rodriguez
Minister of Transport and Quebec Lieutenant

"In the name of the Montreal Port Authority, I would like to thank the federal government for its invaluable financial support to our large expansion project in Contrecoeur, a structuring investment for the economic resilience of the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes corridor which will be beneficial for all of Canada. This concrete action reflects the government's confidence and allows us to consolidate this project at a critical stage in its development."

Geneviève Deschamps, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer
Montréal Port Authority 

Quick Facts

• Through the National Trade Corridors Fund, the Government of Canada is investing to help goods move smoothly throughout Canada's supply chains.
• The National Trade Corridors Fund is a competitive, merit-based program designed to help infrastructure owners and users invest in the critical transportation assets that support economic activity in Canada. A total of $4.6 billion over 11 years (2017-2028) has been allocated to the program.
• Through the National Trade Corridors Fund, Transport Canada is supporting improvements to Canada's roads, rail, air, and marine shipping routes to foster domestic and international trade.

Related Product 

National Trade Corridors Fund Backgrounder 

This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons living with visual disabilities. 

SOURCE Transport Canada - Ottawa

Contacts: Laura Scaffidi, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Transport, Ottawa; Media Relations, Transport Canada, Ottawa, 613-993-0055, [email protected]