Name: Why the Port of Montreal expansion project is a national priority
Uploaded: 2025-09-12T09:49:04.314Z
Duration: 2 min 30 s
Description: The Port of Montreal’s plan to build a new terminal in Contrecoeur, Que., is one of the five major projects Prime Minister Mark Carney plans to fast track. At the end of its construction in 2030, the terminal in the Montérégie region will handle more than one million containers a year.

The Port of Montreal’s plan to build a new terminal in Contrecoeur, Que., is one of the five major projects Prime Minister Mark Carney plans to fast track. At the end of its construction in 2030, the terminal in the Montérégie region will handle more than one million containers a year.

Ville-Marie

The Port of Montreal is set to expand with a new terminal in Contrecoeur, as part of a national priority initiative identified by Prime Minister Mark Kearney. The expansion aims to address the port's near-capacity operations and is projected to handle over one million containers annually upon completion. The federal government's major projects office will coordinate the final stages to ensure timely progress, with preparatory work anticipated to begin soon.

However, the project still requires additional environmental authorizations due to potential impacts on at-risk species, including the copper-red horsefish and the western chorus frog. An environmental group has also filed a lawsuit challenging the government's fast-track legislation, Bill C-5. The project is expected to create 1,200 jobs and generate $140 million in annual economic benefits, with construction field work scheduled to start in 2027 and completion targeted for 2030.

Why the Port of Montreal expansion project is a national priority

The Port of Montreal's plans to expand is one of the five major projects Prime Minister Mark Kearney has targeted to fast-track. According to the Montreal Port Authority, its current facilities are almost at full capacity, so in order to face growing container traffic, it's planning a new terminal in Contrecoeur in Dimont-et-Régis. At the end of its construction, it will handle more than one million containers a year. I think it's a perfect example where the major projects office can pick up a lot of work that's already been done well, but take the final steps to make sure that there's no slippage in the timelines. The major projects office will be tasked to coordinate and finalize the projects, including the Contrecoeur expansion. The prep work should start by the end of this month, but this is not the official start of the project. The Port Authority still needs additional authorizations because of the potential impact on two at-risk species, Fisheries and Oceans Canada for the copper-red horsefish, and Environment Canada for the western chorus frog. It is confident it will get final approval. The permitting coming from DFO will need to be on our end before we begin the construction in the water. And that part of the job is not scheduled for next September. We can begin those measures as soon as the end of the year, since our file and our submission is completed. An environmental group has also filed a lawsuit in Quebec's Superior Court contesting the validity of Carney government's Bill C-5, which would allow Ottawa to fast-track the regulatory process to speed up projects like this. It's a move resident support. It's the equivalent of 55% of Le Port de Montréal. We're a small city that is quiet, that is on the St. Lawrence River, and the citizens never asked to live in such an industrial area. The federal government says the project will help create 1,200 jobs when the terminal is constructed and will have $140 million in economic benefits annually. It will be a while though before shovels start breaking ground. Field work should start in 2027 and the terminal should be completed by 2030.

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