The Montreal Port Authority has received CA$12.5 million ($8.99 million) from the government of Canada as part of the National Trade Corridors Fund (NTCF) for a project to redevelop and upgrade grain containerization operations at the Port of Montreal.
Worth a total of $17.98 million, this 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.
The port said in a release that the grain business has grown by 78% over the past 10 years, among the highest for cargo categories at the eastern Canadian hub.
The latest financing complements a project by DG CanEst Transit Inc., which had itself received financial support in 2022 to upgrade its existing infrastructure and purchase new equipment for its facilities.
The port said 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 project includes commissioning of an electrical substation following demolition of the old electrical substation; work on the CanEst courtyard and rainwater outlet ; refurbishment of a level rail crossing, and work in Port of Montreal Workshop 42 yard.
Montreal is a major hub for grain handling. In addition to DG CanEst Transit, there is a large bulk grain elevator operated by Viterra. Annual grain volume in the millions of metric tons pass through the port via these two infrastructures.
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