Montréal, May 10, 2013 – The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal welcomes the decision of the Government of Quebec and the Ville de Montréal to improve access to the Port of Montreal, as announced today by Minister of Transport and Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, Sylvain Gaudreault, Minister of International Relations, La Francophonie and External Trade and Minister responsible for the Montréal region, Jean-François Lisée, Minister of Culture and Communications and member for Bourget, Maka Kotto, the Mayor of Montréal, Michael Applebaum, and the President and CEO of the Montreal Port Authority, Sylvie Vachon.
“Reorganizing entry to the Port by adding ramps for highway 25 and extending L’Assomption Blvd. have been among the Board of Trade’s priority requests in recent years,” says Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. “In 2011, during our Strategic Forum on transportation infrastructures, the government and the Ville de Montréal committed to getting work under way quickly. During our most recent Forum in April, Mr. Gaudreault committed to completing the work as soon as possible. We are pleased to see that the government has started taking action.”
“The smooth flow of merchandise is essential to improving the productivity and attractiveness of the metropolitan area,” Mr. Leblanc says. “The changes proposed today will help relieve traffic on Notre-Dame St., facilitate the movement of merchandise and open up an industrial area. With the implementation of the logistics and transportation cluster, the city has the potential to become an industry hub in North America.”
“We congratulate the Government of Quebec, the Ville de Montréal and the Port of Montreal on their collaboration,” Mr. Leblanc says. “Prior collaboration is necessary to avoid obstacles that can slow the project and to put in place traffic mitigation measures while work is ongoing. Since this project is a priority, the Board of Trade will be keeping an eye on it to ensure that schedules and budgets are respected.”
About the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of some 7,000 members. Its mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montréal and to provide individuals, merchants, and local businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity, and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is Quebec's leading private economic development organization.
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Sylvie Paquette
Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: 514 871-4000, ext. 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca
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