The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) and Canadian National Railway (CN) have reached an agreement to integrate rail transport at the MPA’s new container terminal in Contrecœur.

The Contrecœur terminal is located in the main pool of consumers and importers in Quebec and Eastern Canada, close to major rail and road routes.

The CN rail line is already in place in the area covered by the Contrecœur terminal, but both parties will now cooperate to define the technical aspects to maximise the terminal’s efficiency and ensure a competitive commercial offering.

The partnership aims at placing the new terminal into a strategic position with port users to allow greater access to the key markets in North America, especially in Ontario and the US Midwest.

“The Contrecœur container terminal is a strategic project for Quebec’s economic development, which will make it possible for local businesses to be more resilient and keep growing,” said Martin Imbleau, President and Chief Executive Officer of the MPA.

“This partnership with CN will ensure optimal integration of rail-related intermodality for strategic, competitive and enhanced access to key markets such as Ontario and the US Midwest, to the benefit of Port of Montreal user companies and the ultimate client, the consumer.”

“Teaming up with the Montreal Port Authority and future partners allows us to design an efficient rail served terminal to provide customers with a high quality, consistent and safe intermodal service on our network,” added Tracy Robinson, President and Chief Executive Officer of CN.

Last July, the MPA launched a Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Maintain procurement process to expand its Contrecœur terminal.

The project for the new 1.15-million-TEU terminal was approved by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Canada after a five-year consultation period.