The important business relationship linking the Port of Montreal and Ontario companies will continue and strengthen in the years ahead, said Martin Imbleau, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Montreal Port Authority, in a speech on March 30 at the Toronto Region Board of Trade Transportation Symposium.
The Ontario market, which accounts for about two million containers per year, could increase by 50% by 2035 thanks to manufacturing policies and recent developments in the automotive sector.
Strategically located on the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes Seaway, the Port of Montreal is a Canadian strategic trade infrastructure notably serving various businesses in Ontario and in the greater Toronto area. Over the next few decades, this ongoing link will be further strengthened thanks to Montreal’s port infrastructure development projects.
“The Port of Montreal is the Eastern gateway to the heart of the country,” noted Mr. Imbleau. “Quebec’s logistics ecosystem makes it possible to import and export containerized goods to meet close to 75% of the country’s industrial capacity. Recent crises show that capacity is needed. Building capacity to our future terminal (at Contrecoeur) will enable us to meet growing demand, providing a seamless and cost-effective solution to meet business needs, specifically to Europe and the Indo-Pacific region.”
Aside from providing a greener solution, the Port of Montreal is also up to 15% more competitive than other gateways, he said.
Mr. Imbleau reiterated the importance of developing a more resilient trade infrastructure, given that the factors that caused the supply chain crises that Canada has been experiencing are still present.
(Photo Port of Montreal)
