Julie Gascon has resigned as CEO of the Port of Montreal after two years, as costs for a key terminal project continue to escalate.
Julie Gascon, the chief executive of the Port of Montreal, has stepped down after only two years, as cost estimates for a major container terminal project continue to rise, reported American Shipper.
The Montreal Port Authority announced that Julie Gascon ceased her role as president and chief executive on April 3. A board committee will oversee operations while a search is conducted for her successor.
Board chairwoman Nathalie Pilon stated that the Contrecoeur terminal expansion is entering a new strategic cycle and emphasized that the port remains well positioned to support Canada's global competitiveness.
Ms. Gascon, a Montreal native, joined the port in February 2024 after holding senior roles at Transport Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard.
In September 2025, the government of Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed that the estimated cost of the Contrecoeur terminal had risen from C$1.6 billion (US$1.15 billion) to C$1.65 billion. This announcement followed a development agreement with DP World of Dubai.
The project is expected to increase Montreal's annual container capacity by more than 50 percent to about three million TEU. Critics have raised environmental concerns and pointed out the inland location's higher costs compared to U.S. East Coast ports.
On April 1, French carrier CMA CGM added a direct Montreal call to its Canada-US-Latin America CAGEMA service.
In February, a Canadian pension fund threatened to withdraw support after revelations about DP World's former chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem's ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Mr. Sulayem later resigned.
