September 16, 2025
Government of Canada accelerates Montreal's Contrecoeur Container Terminal project
The Government of Canada announced one of the first major projects that are being referred to the Major Projects Office (MPO) - the Contrecoeur Container Terminal project in Montréal, Quebec.
The Major Projects Office was created as part of the One Canadian Economy Act, which came into force on June 26. The Building Canada Act allows for streamlining of the federal review and approval processes to help increase regulatory certainty, helping attract capital.
The Montreal Port Authority is proposing the development of a new container port terminal at Contrecoeur that would increase the Port's container capacity by nearly 60%. The project would include the construction of a 675-metre wharf with two berths to accommodate vessels from 39,000 to 75,400 deadweight tonnes.
The project would also include the development of a seven-track rail yard, a container storage and handling area, an intermodal rail yard, support buildings, rail and road access, and a truck control area.
The Port of Montreal is the largest container port in Central and Eastern Canada and a central destination for the world's largest shipping lines. It handles all types of cargo and benefits from its own railway network directly on the platforms, making it easy to ship things across the country through the two pan-Canadian rail networks.