The Montreal Port Authority and Canadian National reach an agreement in principle to develop the rail component of the Port of Montreal's Contrecœur expansion
MONTREAL, April 6, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) and Canadian National Railway (CN) are pleased to announce that they have reached an agreement to integrate rail transport at the MPA's new container terminal in Contrecœur. This initiative will help maximize the terminal's efficiency and ensure a competitive commercial offering.
Along with a private partner that will be retained to develop and operate the terminal, the parties will define the technical aspects of the project's intermodal service. The agreement will lead to stronger market positioning of the new terminal with port users and give companies greater access to key markets in the North American industrial heartland, particularly those in Ontario and the U.S. Midwest.
"The Contrecœur container terminal is a strategic project for Quebec's economic development, which will make it possible for local businesses to be more resilient and keep growing. This partnership with CN will ensure optimal integration of rail-related intermodality for strategic, competitive and enhanced access to key markets such as Ontario and the U.S. Midwest, to the benefit of Port of Montreal user companies and the ultimate client, the consumer," said Martin Imbleau, President and Chief Executive Officer of the MPA.
The CN rail line is already in place in the area covered by the Port of Montreal's expansion in Contrecœur. In addition to establishing an efficient intermodal service, the partnership aims to ensure close cooperation between CN, the MPA and the private partner that will be selected to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the future terminal, following a procurement process led by the MPA.
"We are pleased to partner on this agreement. Teaming up with the Montreal Port Authority and future partners allows us to design an efficient rail served terminal to provide customers with a high quality, consistent and safe intermodal service on our network. This will help support our long term, sustainable growth." said Tracy Robinson, President and Chief Executive Officer of CN.
Please note that the Port of Montreal's facilities are already served by railway services, including CN, which is connected to the MPA's facilities. Railway services connected to the Port of Montreal provide daily service to major domestic markets in Canada and to the U.S. Midwest and Northeast.
CN is a world-class transportation leader and trade-enabler. Essential to the economy, to the customers, and to the communities it serves, CN safely transports more than 300 million tons of natural resources, manufactured products, and finished goods throughout North America every year. As the only railroad connecting Canada's Eastern and Western coasts with the U.S. South through a 19,500-mile rail network, CN and its affiliates have been contributing to community prosperity and sustainable trade since 1919. CN is committed to programs supporting social responsibility and environmental stewardship.
Operated by the Montreal Port Authority (MPA), the Port of Montreal is the second largest port in Canada and a diversified transshipment centre that handles all types of goods: containerized and non-containerized cargo, liquid bulk and dry bulk. The only container port in Quebec, it is a destination port served by the largest shipping lines in the world. It is also an intermodal hub with a service offering that is unique in North America, featuring its own rail network directly dockside connected to Canada's two national rail networks. The MPA also operates a Cruise Terminal and a Port Centre. The MPA factors economic, social and environmental components into its corporate initiatives. This commitment is governed by a sustainable development policy whose guiding principles focus on involvement, cooperation and accountability. Port activity supports 19,000 jobs and generates $2.6 billion in economic benefits annually.
About the Contrecœur expansion
Located in an industrial zone, the Contrecœur land reserve was acquired 30+ years ago by the Montreal Port Authority and has been the focus of careful collaborative planning to support the development of the supply chain in Quebec and Eastern Canada. With the support of Canada Infrastructure Bank and the Government of Quebec, the Port of Montreal and its partners plan to develop a new state-of-the-art container terminal able to handle up to 1.15 million containers (TEUs). Advantageously located in the core of the largest pool of consumers, importers and exporters in Quebec and Eastern Canada, close to a major rail line and road routes, the Port of Montreal's Contrecœur expansion will consolidate local strengths to effectively meet future needs. This project will strengthen the world-class logistics centre in the heart of the St. Lawrence Valley. A procurement process is currently underway to determine the private partner that will work with the MPA to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the terminal.
SOURCE Montreal Port Authority
Renée Larouche, Director, Communications, Montreal Port Authority, 514-657-8288, [email protected]; Jonathan Abecassis, Senior Manager, Media Relations, Canadian National Railway, 438 455-3692, [email protected]
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