The Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Jonathan Wilkinson, announced that the proposed Contrecoeur Port Terminal Expansion Project located in Montreal, Canada can proceed. The decision on the project follows a thorough, science-based environmental assessment process, which concluded it is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects when mitigation measures are taken into account. 

The project located approximately 40 kilometres downstream from Montreal will allow the proponent to accommodate vessels between 39,000 and 75,400 deadweight tonnage (DWT) as well as increasing its annual container handling capacity. The proponent, the Montreal Port Authority, estimates that the project would create approximately 5,000 jobs during the construction phase and generate just over 1,000 direct jobs during the operations phase.

The Minister's decision statement sets out 330 legally binding conditions that the proponent will have to comply with throughout the life of the project. These conditions include measures to protect human health, fish and fish habitat, migratory birds, wetlands, First Nations use of land and resources, natural and cultural heritage and species at risk.

The proponent can now proceed with obtaining any additional authorizations and permits from federal departments.

The project consists of the construction of a container port terminal with a maximum annual capacity of 1.15 million containers on the Montreal Port property located in Contrecoeur. The project would also include a seven-track classification yard, a container storage and handling area, an intermodal rail yard, support facilities, rail and road accesses and a truck control area.