Montreal Port Authority Expansion Project in Contrecoeur Moves Foward

April 20, 2026

Canada’s largest east coast port expansion moves forward as the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) is supporting the new Contrecoeur container terminal by loaning $1.16 billion to the Montreal Port Authority (MPA).

The investment and partnership between the CIB and the MPA will provide Canada with a new public infrastructure of national significance to support future trade growth, an asset paid for through the contribution of private users in the next decades.

The investment will expand container capacity and strengthen Canada’s Eastern Trade Gateway as the Port of Montreal supports Canada’s ambition to double non-U.S. exports and helps bring supply chains back home for Canadian businesses.

The project reflects a strong partnership across governments, the port authority and the private sector. The Government of Quebec is contributing $130 million; Transport Canada $150 million and the full financing will be repaid through autonomous revenues and the contribution of the private sector as terminal operator. Ultimately, more than 85% of infrastructure costs will therefore be borne by the private sector.

Construction of critical in-water works including dredging, quay wall construction and other infrastructure required for vessel access and operations began in October 2025 and is being delivered by a joint venture between Aecon and Pomerleau.

Construction is expected to begin in 2027 on building out terminal and logistics infrastructure, with commercial operations targeted for 2030. This includes development of the intermodal yard, construction of the terminal and installation of ship-loading equipment at the site, located approximately 40 kilometres northeast of Montreal.

CIB participation helps minimize the project’s cost of capital, allowing the Montreal Port Authority to maintain its investment grade credit rating while preserving cash flows for ongoing operations.

Once complete, the Contrecoeur terminal will add up to 1.15 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of annual capacity—about 60% of the Port of Montreal’s current throughput—directly addressing long-term capacity constraints and supporting future growth in container traffic.

DP World Canada is in exclusive discussions with the MPA to serve as terminal operator.

The MPA expects the project will create thousands of jobs during construction and support hundreds of thousands of jobs linked to the supply chain. More than $750 million in economic benefits are forecasted annually, strengthening supply chain resilience across Canada. This figure captures the operating impact of higher throughput because of Contrecœur, including incremental activity across terminal operations, marine services, inland logistics, warehousing and related functions generated by the new terminal.

Identified by the federal government as a project of national importance, the Contrecœur terminal will bolster Canada’s container capacity through its eastern gateway, supporting trade diversification, economic resilience.

The new terminal will also offer the shortest shipping route from North America’s industrial heartland to Europe and the Mediterranean, two of the most promising alternative markets for Canadian importers and exporters.

The project also leverages existing transportation infrastructure, including Highway 30 and the CN rail connection, reducing the need for new land-based construction and limiting additional impacts on the surrounding environment. The Contrecœur terminal has been designed to minimize its environmental footprint and meet 388 binding conditions set by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada.  

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