MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA – The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) announced that it has received government funding for a project to redevelop and upgrade the grain containerization sector at the Port of Montreal.

The port will receive C$12.5 million ($9 million) from the Canadian government as part of the National Trade Corridors Fund (NTCF). Worth an overall total of C$25 million, the project will increase and optimize operational space and increase container storage capacity by 20% at the terminal operated by DG CanEst Transit Inc., which specializes in exporting containerized grain via the Port of Montreal to international markets, said the MPA. It noted that over the past 10 years the sector has grown by 78% at the Port of Montreal.

"I would like to thank Transport Canada for its contribution to this important project, which will enable us to increase the capacity and efficiency of containerized grain handling, so as to better serve local producers and enable them to increase their exports to high-value-added niche markets via the Port of Montreal, to the benefit of companies, the supply chain and the Canadian and Quebec economy," said Julie Gascon, president and chief executive officer of the MPA. 

The government financing complements a project by DG CanEst Transit Inc., which received financial support in 2022 to upgrade its existing infrastructure and purchase new equipment for its facilities.

The project will open the door to new export opportunities to markets in Asia, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa, the MPA said.

The Port of Montreal is a major hub for grain handling. In addition to the containerized grain facility operated by DG CanEst Transit Inc. there is also a large bulk grain elevator operated by Viterra. Every year, millions of tonnes of grain pass through the Port of Montreal via these two infrastructures.