The Trois-Rivières Port Authority (TRPA) held its annual general assembly today, which was an opportunity to review the results of 2020 and to highlight the work and resilience of the Trois-Rivières port community. In the past year, the Port welcomed 209 vessels and handled 3.3 million metric tonnes of cargo, resulting in a net income of $2.26 million.
“The results achieved over the past year are in line with the projections we had established long before the pandemic changed our daily lives,” stated Gaétan Boivin, President and CEO of the Port of Trois Rivières. “In this context, these results are quite a feat, a feat that was brilliantly achieved by our valued partners, the stevedores: G3 Canada, Logistec and Groupe Somavrac, the longshoremen and all the workers at the Port, as well as our customers and many collaborators.
“All of them have shown great resilience and adaptability. They have worked hard to maintain the supply chains that our industries and economy rely on. On behalf of the TRPA, but also on behalf of all the companies that depend on the Port of Trois-Rivières for the transportation of their goods, I would like to thank them.”
Mr. Boivin also emphasized the proactivity of the partners in implementing several precautionary measures and the collaboration of workers in their application. They have all contributed to countering the spread of the virus in the port community, protecting the ships’ crews as well as the local citizens.
One of the highlights of the past year was undoubtedly the announcement of the Terminal 21 project. Last October, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for Saint-Maurice-Champlain, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, confirmed that Transport Canada had granted financial assistance of $33.4 million, out of a total investment of nearly $130 million.
“Terminal 21 is the flagship project of our On Course for 2030 plan and represents the largest expansion phase the Port will undergo since its creation. With innovation and environmental compliance as its cornerstones, it will be a true engine of growth and improvement of the competitiveness of handling operations, in addition to boosting the economy which is currently experiencing a strong revival,” said Danielle St. Amand, Chair of the Board of Directors.
The Port also pursued various actions set out in its On Course for 2030 plan, such as the deployment of three projects as part of its partnership with the Port of Montreal, the holding of the 2nd Rendez-vous Innovation bringing together partners and users, and participation in research projects, including several with the Université du Québec à TroisRivières. These initiatives are aimed at the continuous improvement of its activities, the implementation of new sustainable management practices, the protection of the environment and the improvement of the well-being of citizens, workers and users.
Finally, last fall the Port of Trois-Rivières acquired the collection of canvas artworks Hommage au Saint-Laurent, created by a collective group of artists composed of Gérard Boulanger, Yvon Lemieux, Raymond Quenneville, Robert Roy and Yvon StAubin. The Port is working with the artists to plan an exhibit of all of the works for the benefit of the regional community and all of Québec. (photo TRPA)
