Ports of Montreal & Churchill Poised for Major Investments, Says Carney

Speaking alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Tuesday as he sought to bolster economic and energy ties with Europe, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the federal government will soon be unveiling big investments in port infrastructure – specifically singling out the ports of Montreal and Churchill, Manitoba.

(Photos of ports of Montreal and Churchill)

“Our government is in the process of unleashing half a trillion dollars of investment in energy infrastructure, port infrastructure, particularly intelligence infrastructure, as well, with AI,” Mr. Carney said.

The prime minister indicated the first of those investments will be announced “in the next two weeks.”

He evoked the upgrading of infrastructure at the Port of Montreal which is approaching the construction phase of its massive Contrecoeur container terminal project whose cost has ballooned above $1.5 billion.

He referred to the Churchill undertaking as “a new port, effectively, in Churchill, Manitoba.”

“Which would open up enormous LNG, plus other opportunities, and other East Coast ports for those critical minerals,” Mr. Carney said.

“There is a lot happening. It’s the number one focus of this government— is to build that infrastructure, and particularly infrastructure that helps us deepen our partnership with European partners and particularly Germany.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Canada and Germany signed a Joint Declaration of Intent to develop cooperation on critical minerals.

As reported by Maritime Magazine on August 5, the Montreal Port Authority (MPA) has submitted its notice of intent to begin preliminary construction work for the Port of Montreal’s Contrecœur expansion as early as September 29, 2025, pending receipt of the final required approvals.

“This step allows us to meet the conditions required to move forward with a project that positions Quebec and Canada more strongly to diversify international trade,” said Julie Gascon, President and CEO of the MPA. “Once all the necessary approvals are in place, we’ll be ready to begin work on this major strategic project that is essential to the future of our supply chains.”

If all proceeds according to a revised plan, the Contrecoeur facility will add 1.15 million containers per year by start of operations in 2030 to an existing capacity of 2.1 million TEUs.

Churchill horizon

Meanwhile, in the latest development regarding Churchill, Canada’s sole deepwater Arctic port, the Arctic Gateway Group (AGG) and Fednav Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on August 22 to explore strengthening the Canadian Arctic trade corridor through the Manitoba port. (See MM August 25).

This collaboration will rely on Fednav’s deep expertise in Arctic marine operations and AGG’s established trade and transportation infrastructure. Informed by AGG’s commitment to Indigenous and northern economic development, this MOU will focus on the evaluation of a sustainable, commercially supported 12-month shipping season through the Port of Churchill.

“This partnership could be a game-changer for the Port of Churchill and Canada’s Arctic trade ambitions,” said Chris Avery, CEO, Arctic Gateway Group. Fednav’s long-standing leadership in marine operations complements our commitment to strengthening Churchill’s already established position as a northern trade gateway. Together, we’re laying the groundwork for a new era of year-round shipping that reflects northern priorities, the Canadian national interest, and the global demand for Canadian resources.”

Paul Pathy, Fednav’s President and CEO, declared: “Fednav is pleased to partner with Arctic Gateway to explore this ambitious and forward-looking vision for the Port of Churchill. We see tremendous potential in combining our marine and logistics expertise with AGG’s unique ownership model and regional leadership, further establishing Churchill as the key to unlock sustainable growth in the North.”

The Arctic Gateway Group is continuing to scale up operations at the Port of Churchill and along the Hudson Bay Railway. The company has tripled the size of its critical mineral storage capacity at the port and increased freight volumes along the Hudson Bay Railway. The Port of Churchill handles bulk cargo, mainly grain products, but is increasingly focused on critical minerals.

By: Maritime Magazine