The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) welcomes the decision statement by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada on the Contrecoeur expansion project by the Port of Montreal. This favourable decision, rendered after five years of consultations and analysis by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, makes it possible to take a decisive step towards obtaining permits. This means that the MPA can move forward on the future terminal in light of the terms and conditions adopted by the Minister.
"This favourable decision opens the way to building a new container terminal, a key public utility for the development of Quebec and Canada. Local businesses will be able to make the most of a future infrastructure with great economic benefits, with a minimal impact on human, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems," said Martin Imbleau, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Montreal Port Authority. The MPA intends to continue its close cooperation with local and regional partners, including the various authorities concerned such as First Nations, in order to maximize the project's positive benefits.
Located in an industrial zone, the Contrecœur land reserve was acquired over 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. By 2024, with the support of Canada Infrastructure Bank and private partners, the Port of Montreal intends to develop a new state-of-the-art container terminal to handle 1.15 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). Advantageously located in the main pool of consumers and importers in Quebec and Eastern Canada, close to major rail and road routes, the Port of Montreal's Contrecœur expansion will consolidate local strengths to effectively meet future needs. This project will strengthen our world-class logistics hub in the heart of the St. Lawrence Valley.
