Montreal Port Authority starts in-water construction on C$2.3bn Contrecoeur terminal, boosting capacity by 1.15 million TEU by 2030.
The Montreal Port Authority has begun in-water construction on its C$2.3bn ($1.66bn) Contrecoeur container terminal in Quebec, advancing a project that will add 1.15 million TEU of annual capacity to one of North America's principal trade gateways when it enters service in 2030.
Work in the water began on August 3, following preparatory construction that started in autumn 2025. This milestone signals tangible progress on a facility positioned to ease congestion risk and strengthen supply chain reliability for shippers routing cargo through the St. Lawrence corridor.
"The start of in-water construction confirms that the expansion project is progressing according to plan," said Paul Bird, president and chief executive of the Montreal Port Authority.
The initial phase of marine work focuses on a stone working jetty that will provide access to the future wharf. More than 250,000 tonnes of stone have already been delivered to the site, with several thousand additional tonnes still to come.
A 300-tonne crane will support the build. Steel casing piles are scheduled to arrive from August 17, and wharf construction is due to begin this autumn. Dredging is planned from October 2027, with the current marine works expected to be complete by June 2029.
The marine works are being carried out by Constructeurs Terminal de Contrecoeur Grand Projet – owned 60% by Pomerleau and 40% by Aecon – under a C$609m ($439m) design-build contract.
The overall development is estimated at approximately C$2.3bn ($1.66bn). The Canada Infrastructure Bank has provided a C$1.16bn ($836m), 35-year loan, the Government of Quebec is contributing C$130m ($93.7m), and Transport Canada is contributing C$150m ($108.1m). About 25% to 30% of the total investment remains to be confirmed.
DP World in Canada is expected to handle the land-side terminal works and operate the facility for 40 years. The final construction and operating agreement has yet to be completed, with land-side construction scheduled to begin in 2027.
Located about 40 km downstream from Montreal, the terminal will feature two berths, a container yard, an intermodal rail yard, and truck access. Its 1.15 million TEU annual capacity equals roughly 60% of Montreal's current container throughput – additional capacity that promises greater reliability and a reduced risk of congestion for cargo owners moving goods through the region.
For shippers weighing route dependability and transit predictability, the expanded gateway strengthens one of the continent's key trade corridors.
Environmental compensation spending is estimated at C$36m ($25.9m), including C$17m ($12.3m) tied to protecting the copper redhorse, a threatened fish species native to the St. Lawrence River.
The Montreal Port Authority is an autonomous Canadian federal agency operating under the Canada Marine Act.
