The strength to continue, the agility to act
While 2020 was a year of upheaval and hurdles around the world, for the Port of Montreal it was also a time to mobilize unrivalled people power to overcome all the challenges of the turmoil and, as always, stay the course!
As a port authority responsible for delivering essential goods to the public, such as raw materials to manufacturers and products to businesses here and abroad, our core mission as a public service proved to be more important than ever: to connect Montreal to the world for the benefit of the community and the economy of Quebec, Ontario and Canada.
Even-keeled through strong currents
Throughout the rail blockade, the dockworkers’ and checkers’ general strike and the global COVID-19 pandemic, which dealt severe blows to international trade, the national economy and the lives of our employees and port workers, the year 2020 was a year of continuity and growth against all odds.
Continuity, because we managed to handle these unforeseen events without compromising our operations, on which so many importers and exporters depend. For this, we were able to count on the agility of not only our own team, but also that of our supply chain partners. They always delivered!
The year 2020 was also a year of growth and change, notably at the helm of the MPA. We had to review how we do things and rethink how we work. We had the benefit of, and gratefully salute, the leadership and indelible contribution of a great builder, Sylvie Vachon, who, after thirty years, including eleven as CEO of the Port of Montreal, retired on December 31.
To succeed her, the Board of Directors appointed Martin Imbleau as President and Chief Executive Officer effective January 1, 2021. Having held senior management positions in the public sector for close to 20 years at Energir and Hydro-Québec, Martin Imbleau is at the helm to further advance the Port of Montreal’s core mission, heading into a future where new technologies redefine their uses and all efforts converge on sustainable economic development.
Building the future
Over the past few months, we embarked on the collective effort to revive the economy of a world that needs rebuilding for the post-COVID-19 era. We are moving forward with our infrastructure projects, designed to improve our service offering, consolidate the supply chain, ensure greater fluidity, and strengthen our competitiveness on a global scale. They include our overpass project in the Viau sector, the Grand Quay observation tower, the redevelopment of Bickerdike Terminal and our rail capacity optimization project. We are also preparing to sustain growth for the coming decades with our Contrecœur expansion project.
Despite the decline in traffic in 2020, we are stronger, more united and better mobilized than ever to overcome whatever the future holds with confidence and determination. Our agility, our vision of innovation and our firm commitment to implement our projects and operations with a constant focus on sustainable development will guide our actions and define our role in the ongoing economic recovery.
Thank you and kudos to everyone in this vast network of partners, clients, workers, employees and administrators, at the service of the Greater Montreal supply chain!
Thank you again to Sylvie Vachon for the wealth of her real estate, economic and port legacy and the enviable positioning of the Port of Montreal that she has passed on to present and future port workers, and for the benefit of our economy as a whole.
Let’s keep navigating strong currents together. Enjoy your reading!
Martin Imbleau,
President and Chief Executive Officer
Marie-Claude Boisvert,
Chair of the Board of Directors