Investing our world
With a sixth consecutive record year in 2019, the Port of Montreal reasserted its leading role in Eastern Canada’s economy. Over the past few years, the Port of Montreal has made optimum use of its strategic advantages to consolidate its competitiveness. Steady growth let us stay focused on the future and move ahead on our major projects, such as planning and developing the upcoming new container terminal in Contrecœur, while our innovative digital advances kept enabling us to optimize and contribute to the efficiency of the Greater Montreal logistics and supply chain, which serves Quebec, Ontario and the U.S. Midwest, with the utmost respect for the environment.
Markets without borders
Though already connected to more than 140 countries, our openness to the world kept growing. In 2019, COSCO Shipping Lines joined the Port of Montreal’s service offering, making it the seventh international container line to serve the Port. A new service was created between Montreal and Turkey, strengthening our ties with Europe, the Middle East and Asia via the Suez Canal. We renewed our partnership agreement for ten years with the Port of Antwerp, one of our closest collaborators in Europe. Buoyed by major international agreements such as the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement between Canada and the European Union, and by the steady growth in traffic with emerging markets, the Port of Montreal forged wide-ranging ties and strengthened its international trade relations.
Laying foundations for the future
To advance this world-oriented mission, the Port of Montreal continues to lay the foundations for its future. Whether this involves strengthening infrastructures to be able to accommodate the flow of goods for years to come, or creating more partnerships to achieve greater trade, we are moving forward with a vision of long-term growth.
In this respect, 2019 was a pivotal year. After five years of work on the Contrecœur terminal project, the Montreal Port Authority (MPA) can now count on a solid framework for building the project’s overall financial structure, including the announcement of the financial participation of the Canada Infrastructure Bank. Together with its long-standing partners, it is drawing on its long-proven expertise to design the future terminal, consolidate its high-calibre efficiency and remain a prime economic lever.
A citizen port
This vision is closely associated with a drive to be a leader in sustainable development. Neighbouring communities are part of our daily concerns and we believe that transparency and respect are essential values. To this end, we are constantly striving to establish harmonious relationships, preserve the environment and build a sustainable and respectful future. By protecting the ecosystem, carrying out tree-planting campaigns, opening our spaces to the public—as we did at the Grand Quay of the Port of Montreal, where a brand new, free exhibition was opened to the public—and creating events for the general public to raise awareness of our activities, we invest our world, locally, in the same way we support trade internationally.
Our efforts and activities generate positive economic benefits for local businesses, for the country and for the numerous workers in the marine industry. There are also positive impacts in terms of efficiency and fluidity thanks to our innovative digital solutions and the lasting relationships created between the City of Montreal and its Port.
Through this combined strength, the Port of Montreal can pursue its mission at the heart of the supply chain, despite the most unpredictable challenges. Recently, the COVID-19 crisis has severely tested the social and economic balance, generating considerable impacts for businesses and citizens. The Port of Montreal is proud to be able to support Canadian businesses in these difficult times. In this capacity, we have seen how teamwork is our most valuable asset. To all the supply chain workers who have stayed on the job, to our partners who have found solutions with us to stay operational, and to our employees and Board members who have stayed the course in the turmoil, thank you!
Sylvie Vachon and Marie-Claude Boisvert