Port of Montreal comes to an agreement with Pomerleau and Aecon for the in-water works design of its Contrecœur expansion project

Montreal, February 28, 2024 — The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Contrecoeur Terminal Constructors General Partnership (CTCGP), formed by firms Pomerleau and Aecon, that will assist the MPA in the design of the in-water works for its Contrecœur expansion project through a progressive design-build (“progressive DB”) approach.

Last October, the MPA stated that it would be using a hybrid approach for the design and construction of its expansion project. In this approach, land side works will be carried out by a private partner, while in-water works (including dock construction and dredging) will be undertaken by the MPA with partner support. Accordingly, in the last few days, the MPA reached an agreement with CTCGP on developing the design aspect of the project.

Progressive development model

Under the collaborative DB approach, the contractor (in this case, CTCGP) and the master builder (the MPA) will work closely together throughout the project’s development phase to finalize the design and arrive at an estimated schedule and cost for the project works. This approach, increasingly used for major infrastructure projects, offers advantages in terms of efficiency and coordination, while providing greater predictability and risk management for all parties, particularly in terms of costs and deadlines. CTCGP was chosen for the expertise and experience of its partners in infrastructure and transportation, as well as in collaborative DB-type approaches.

Quotations

“We are very pleased to announce this partnership with Pomerleau and Aecon through CTCGP for planning the in-water works for our Contrecœur expansion project. The close working relationship between these two renowned companies, combined with our innovative progressive design-build approach, strengthens our commitment to the efficiency, coordination and success of this future-oriented project. We look forward to delivering on this ambitious vision for the future of Canada’s supply chains, and better serving our businesses and our community,” said Julie Gascon, President and Chief Executive Officer of the MPA.

“We are proud to be a part of the Port of Montreal’s expansion project in Contrecoeur, which will enable the MPA to realize its innovative vision for the country’s shipping industry. We applaud the use of the progressive design-build model, which prioritizes transparency and teamwork between prime contractor and designer and ensures better planning and sound risk management. Together with the MPA team and our partners, we will leverage our know-how and experience in creating world-class port infrastructures,” said Philippe Adam, President and CEO of Pomerleau.

“The in-water works are an important component of delivering the new Contrecœur terminal—providing increased capacity to the largest container port in Eastern Canada and supporting continued economic growth in Québec and Canada,” said Jean-Louis Servranckx, President and Chief Executive Officer, Aecon Group Inc. “We look forward to bringing our experience working under collaborative delivery models and building complex civil infrastructure to deliver this vital project with our client and partner.” 

“The Port of Montreal plays a key role to ensure Canadians have access to the goods they need, when they need them, at affordable prices. Our investment in this project is going to strengthen our supply chain and I’m pleased with this important milestone,” said the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Transport and Quebec Lieutenant.

“Throughout history, Quebec’s economic development and the development of our St. Lawrence River have been inextricably linked. Our government firmly believes in this, which is why we have invested over $130 million in the Port of Montreal’s Contrecœur terminal. We applaud the Port’s progress and will continue to support its activities,” said Geneviève Guilbaut, Deputy Premier of Quebec and Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility.

A project for the future

In view of anticipated growth in the container sector, the Port of Montreal is reaching this new milestone in its expansion project where it will build a new container terminal in the municipality of Contrecœur. Connected to major rail lines and highways, this new terminal will eventually represent an additional annual capacity equal to 60% of the containers currently handled in Montreal, to meet the needs of importers, exporters and consumers in Quebec and Eastern Canada.

Of strategic importance to the future of Canada’s supply chains, the project received a favourable decision statement in 2021 from Canada’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change. The project is financially supported by the Government of Canada ($150 million) and the Government of Quebec ($130 million).

Next steps

Project design with CTCGP, along with assessment of cost and schedule, will take place over the next 12 months. At the end of this phase, the MPA aims to award the dock construction and dredging project works based on its procurement processes, and will present an updated implementation schedule.

Planning for the land-based works is also taking place currently. By the summer of 2024, the MPA will launch an international request for proposals to select a private partner to build the land side component of the terminal (container yard, buildings, public utilities, and rail connection). This private partner will also operate and maintain the terminal under a DBFOM (design, build, finance, operate and maintain) approach. A schedule for land-based works is also expected to be released once the outcome of the request for proposals is known, again within the next 12 months or so.

At the same time, the MPA is working on the compensation plans, follow-up programs and mitigation measures required to meet the conditions of the favourable decision statement received for the project. Developed with the help of experts, compensation plans and follow-up programs are forwarded to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) once finalized and then shared with the public, in accordance with the established procedure.