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Port of Montreal’s Contrecoeur Expansion Advances

[ March 14, 2024   //   ]


The Montreal Port Authority said Feb. 28 it has entered into an agreement with Contrecoeur Terminal Constructors Partnership, or CTCGP, formed by Pomerleau and Aecon Group Inc., that will assist in the design of in-water works for the MPA’s Contrecoeur expansion project.
MPA said it is using a hybrid approach for design and construction of the project. Land-side works will be carried out by a private partner, while in-water works – including dock construction and dredging – will be understand by the port authority with partner support.
Under the collaboration, CTCGP and the MPA will work closely together throughout the project’s development phase to finalize the design and arrive at an estimated schedule and cost for the project works. Project design will take place over the next 12 months, when MPA intends to award the dock construction and dredging projects based on its procurement processes, and will present an updated implementation schedule.
Pomerleau is a leading Canadian construction company, delivering buildings, civil and infrastructure works, and major projects using alternative models, with more than C$4.4 billion in revenues in 2022. Aecon, a Canadian construction and infrastructure company, said it delivers integrated solutions to public and private-sector clients.
“The close working relationship between these two renowned companies, combined with our innovative progressive design-build approach, strengthens our commitment to the efficiency, coordination and success of this future-oriented project,” said Julie Gascon, president and CEO of MPA.
The design-build approach, increasingly used for major infrastructure projects, improves efficiency and coordination, while providing greater predictability and risk management for all parties, particularly in terms of costs and deadlines, MPA said. CTCGP was chosen for the expertise and experience of its partners in infrastructure and transportation, as well as in collaborative DB-type approaches.
The design-build model “prioritizes transparency and teamwork between prime contractor and designer and ensures better planning and sound risk management,” said Philippe Adam, president and CEO of Pomerleau.
By summer, MPA will launch an international request for proposals to select a private partner to build the land side component of the terminal (container yard, buildings, public utilities, and rail connection). This private partner will also operate and maintain the terminal under a design, build, finance, operate and maintain approach. A schedule for land-based works is also expected to be released once the outcome of the request for proposals is known, again within roughly 12 months.
MPA is also working on the compensation plans, follow-up programs and mitigation measures required to meet the conditions of the favorable decision statement received for the project. Developed with the help of experts, compensation plans and follow-up programs are forwarded to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada once finalized and then shared with the public, in accordance with the established procedure.
Anticipating growth in the container sector, the Port of Montreal has reached a new milestone in its expansion project to build a new container terminal in the municipality of Contrecœur. Connected to major rail lines and highways, this new terminal will eventually represent a 60 percent capacity increase from the container volume currently handled in Montreal.
The project received a favorable decision statement in 2021 from Canada’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change. The project is financially supported by the governments of Canada (C$150 million) and Quebec (C$130 million).

Thomas Clochard (left), executive vice president, civil & nuclear, Aecon Group Inc.; Julie Gascon, president and CEO, Montreal Port Authority; and Philippe Adam, president and CEO, Pomerleau. PHOTO: Montreal Port Authority

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