Government of Canada invests in transportation infrastructure at the Port of Montreal to move goods to market

MONTREAL, Aug. 12, 2019 /CNW/ - The quality of Canada's transportation infrastructure and the efficiency of the country's trade corridors are key to the success of Canadian companies in the global marketplace. The Government of Canada invests in infrastructure projects that create quality, middle-class jobs and support economic growth.

Today the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, and Rachel Bendayan, Member of Parliament for Outremont, announced a new and important investment of $18.5 million for a project to  increase transport efficiency, capacity, and security by reducing waiting times and bottlenecks for container movements at the Port of Montréal.

The project consists of:

• an IT system for truck logistics that allows drivers to register for access to the port's terminals, thus increasing the flow of traffic;
• building a railway bridge outside the truck entrance to improve truck traffic at the port;
• deploying a series of electronic signs on the port lands that will provide real-time information for truck drivers; and
• developing an intelligent communications network to reduce truck traffic in the vicinity of the port.

These investments will have important economic benefits for Canadians and will create an estimated 370 jobs during construction.

The Government of Canada is supporting infrastructure projects that contribute most to Canada's success in international trade. Trade diversification is a key component of the National Trade Corridors Fund, through projects that: 

• improve the  performance of the transportation system to increase the value and volume of goods exported from Canada to overseas markets; and
• generate new overseas trade as a result of the investment.

Minister Garneau also announced $600,000 in funding for the University of Montreal to assess the impacts of climate change on the Port of Montreal's infrastructure and determine its resilience to the effects of climate change.

This funding is a part of Transport Canada's five-year, $16 million Transportation Assets Risk Assessment initiative to better understand climate risks to federally owned transportation assets and potential adaptation solutions.

Quote

"Our government is investing in the Port of Montréal's physical and digital infrastructure to stimulate economic growth, create quality middle-class jobs, and ensure that Canada's transportation networks remain competitive and efficient. The investment at the Port will also help reduce congestion and truck traffic in and around its various terminals."

The Honourable Marc Garneau
Minister of Transport

"It is vital that climate change and its impact are taken into account to protect our future, and I am proud that our community, through the University of Montreal, contributes to this important project to ensure that the Port of Montreal is well prepared. Our research teams in Outremont will keep working on increasing the resilience to natural and climatic risks of the Port of Montreal."

Rachel Bendayan
Member of Parliament for Outremont

Quick Facts

• An efficient and reliable transportation network is key to Canada's economic growth. The Government of Canada, through the National Trade Corridors Fund, is making investments that support the flow of goods to international markets. While the United States continues to be Canada's top trade partner with $741.4 billion in trade ($437.6 billion exported, $303.8 billion imported) in 2018, trade is growing with international markets. From 2015 to 2018, trade with Asia (excluding the Middle East) grew by 18.9 per cent to $199.2 billion and trade with the European Union grew by 19 per cent since 2015 to $118.1 billion in 2018.
• Canadian ports are an integral part of the overseas export of Canada's natural resources and are an important hub linking Canadian coastlines to domestic markets.
• The Government of Canada places a strong emphasis on exports because of the connection between trade and good, well-paying jobs, as industries that are export-intensive pay wages that are, on average, more than 50 per cent higher than industries that are not.
• Through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities.

Associated Links

• National Trade Corridors Fund Backgrounder
• Trade and Transportation Corridor Initiative
• Transportation Assets Risk Assessment Program
• Investing in Canada Plan
• Transportation 2030

SOURCE Transport Canada

Delphine Denis, Office of the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, Ottawa, [email protected], 613-991-0700; Media Relations, Transport Canada, Ottawa, [email protected], 613-993-0055

Related Links

http://www.tc.gc.ca/