Trois-Rivières on course for 2030 plan

(Posted on 11/10/18)

The Trois-Rivières Port Authority unveiled its On Course for 2030 development plan this week, in front of nearly 200 guests from the local and national business, community, cultural, political and maritime communities. This plan is bringing about major changes for the Port, its users, the Trois-Rivières community and the region.

The Port of Trois Rivières offers a wide range of facilities and services for major industrial sectors including aluminium, forestry and agri-food.

In addition to continuing investments in port infrastructure, the On Course for 2030 plan aims to fully deploy the potential of the Port’s urban character. Its facilities are literally surrounded by the City. Far from being an obstacle to development, this situation, when fully assumed and integrated into the planning process, makes it possible to see and seize opportunities that would otherwise go unnoticed. Based on the principles of sustainable development, On Course for 2030 will focus on the vision: "To be an innovative urban port, generating growth, at the heart of a competitive supply chain".

The competitive position of the Port of Trois-Rivières is based not only on the quality of its infrastructure, the productivity of its handling activities and its environmental record, but also to a large extent on the competitiveness of the supply chain in which it operates. To support their growth, the Port and its partners will have to play an active role in improving the competitiveness of the elements that make up the chain, particularly maritime, rail and road transport services. On Course for 2030 includes several measures to achieve this objective and thus make the port more competitive and the region even more attractive to investors.

Initiatives to consolidate the supply chain will allow Trois-Rivières to better position itself on the international scene since this is where the growth opportunities for the Port and the region lie. Development opportunities, when they arise, must be seized quickly. The Port is therefore preparing for this and plans to build new storage spaces, as well as new wharves west of its facilities. These projects will add approximately 175,000 m2 to the port's terminals.

In addition, thanks to a partnership between the City, IDÉ-Trois-Rivières and the Port, the efforts invested in collaboration with the Government of Quebec for the development of the Industrial-Port Zone (IP-Zone) will continue. This area encompasses both the port and surrounding properties, including industrial parks, and is used to attract companies that need a nearby port or others that want to process goods that are already using the port.

Total investment for the maintenance and upkeep of existing infrastructure, as well as in new terminals and wharves, is estimated at $ 125 million.

In order to support innovation and the deployment of environmental projects, the Port is creating two funds whose investment will amount to $ 2.5 million over five years. Accessible to the Port's users and clients, the Innovation Fund will support the implementation of innovative solutions to increase the Port's competitiveness and the Environment Fund will be used to complete the financial package of projects aimed at improving its environmental performance. By combining the efforts of the Port, users and partners, it will be possible to multiply the investments made, which should total $ 10 million.

When combined, the amounts planned for the maintenance of infrastructure and equipment, for the Environment and Innovation Funds, as well as those for the construction of new terminals and wharves, investments are estimated at $ 135 million.