The Montreal Port Authority has received authorization from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, more commonly known as DFO, to proceed with the expansion of port facilities in Contrecœur, Que., and continue construction of a new container terminal.

The approval, issued under both the Fisheries Act and the Species at Risk Act, relates to impacts on fish and fish habitat associated with construction of the terminal, including the wharf and all required underwater work, said MPA. The authorization forms part of activities initiated in 2015 to advance the project and requires that all work be carried out in compliance with specified measures, protocols, practices and conditions.

“Obtaining this authorization builds on the efforts initiated over several years to ensure that the Port of Montreal’s expansion project in Contrecœur becomes a reality,” said MPA President and CEO Julie Gascon. “Productive talks with experts from Fisheries and Oceans are central to the project’s development and attest to our commitment to continue implementing it while meeting environmental requirements and the planned offsetting measures already in place.”

The authorization follows the environmental assessment led by the Canadian Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, which resulted in a favourable decision statement in 2021. That process included consultations with Indigenous stakeholders and scientific analysis of potential impacts on copper redhorse habitat.

In October, the MPA also received approval to implement a plan for aquatic grass beds used by copper redhorse as feeding areas, developed in collaboration with DFO, Quebec’s Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks, and Environment and Climate Change Canada.

With the latest authorization in place, the MPA said the project will proceed on its existing schedule. In-water works are set to begin in 2026, alongside continued site development, with commissioning of the terminal still planned for 2030.

The Contrecœur land reserve, located in an industrial zone, was acquired more than 30 years ago and has been the subject of long-term planning to support supply-chain development in Quebec and across Canada. Supported by public and private partners, including the governments of Canada and Quebec, the project will deliver a new container terminal with capacity of 1.15 million 20-foot-equivalent units by 2030.

Construction is expected to generate about 8,000 jobs and includes two berths, a container-handling area, an intermodal rail yard connected to the main network, a truck gate linked to the road system, and support facilities. Positioned near major rail and road corridors in the St. Lawrence Valley, the Contrecœur expansion is intended to strengthen the Port of Montreal’s role as a key logistics hub.

The MPA previously signed a joint development agreement with DP World in Canada, a partnership between DP World and La Caisse, to make the proposed Contrecœur port expansion project a reality.

The agreement covers the design of land-based works for the new container terminal, with DP World assuming responsibility for construction, operation and maintenance for 40 years.

Site preparation began in 2025. Doug Smith, CEO of DP World in Canada, previously called the project “transformational,” adding that it will elevate the port’s role in global trade and diversify Canadian commerce while creating thousands of jobs during construction and driving long-term prosperity through expanded trade capacity.

Pictured: Future Port of Montreal container terminal in Contrecoeur, Que.

Photo: Port of Montreal