Port of Trois Rivières has received confirmation of financial assistance of $33.4 million from Transport Canada for the construction of Terminal 21, which will increase the port’s capacity by 1.5 million metric tons, or nearly 50 per cent, adding 716 metres of wharf to its current facilities.
“Today’s announcement comes in a context where we need to create the conditions for economic recovery. A port terminal is more than just an infrastructure. This is the largest expansion phase that the port will experience in nearly one hundred years, and is the foundation for its future development,” explained Mr. Gaétan Boivin, President and CEO of Port of Trois-Rivières. To be constructed for the transhipment of dry bulk, liquid bulk and general cargo, this new terminal will include the construction of docks, retaining structures, vehicle and rail access, and storage space, and will require a total investment of close to $130 million. Terminal 21 is first and foremost a means of increasing the competitiveness of export industries, particularly those located in the Montreal to Quebec City region. With completion scheduled for the end of 2023, the construction phase is expected to create 630 jobs. Beyond that, operation of the terminal will result in additional direct and indirect jobs. Terminal 21 is also expected to be a catalyst for attracting new businesses to the port and the city.