The Port of Québec in numbers...
-
+ $2 billion
in economic spinoffs every year. -
+ 8 000 jobs
created directly and indirectly in the greater Québec City region. -
+ 1 000 ships
per year that anchor at one of our 14 port terminals. -
15-metre
water depth at low tide to accommodate large vessels.
- 28 million tonnes of goods transshipped
- The last deep-water corridor in the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes seaway, providing access to a market that is 103 million consumers-strong
- Trade relations with more than 50 countries
- An organization focused on sustainable development with a structural plan for 2017–2022 including 27 innovative actions
- 20 % of port territory dedicated to recreational tourism.
Our mission
The mission of the Québec Port Authority is to promote and develop maritime trade, to serve the economic interests of the Quebec City region and of Canada, and to ensure the Port of Québec’s profitability in a way that respects both the community and the environment.
- Accomplishment.
- Collaboration.
- Agility.
- Respect.
A Word from the Chair of the Board of Directors
We made it. It is once again the time of year when we look in the rearview mirror to see where we’ve been and where we’re headed.
- We measure how far we’ve come.
- We take stock of what we’ve accomplished.
The last few years have shown us that the Port of Québec can navigate the unknown, even in the face of significant headwinds. At a time when a pandemic forced everything to shut down, the port remained open :
- Open to carry out its activities;
- Open to its community; and
- Open to the world.
We have emerged stronger, more agile, more aware of the challenges, and more relevant than ever.
We are fortunate to have a port and, even more so, a deep-water port, so that we can welcome larger vessels and contribute to reducing greenhouse gases.
Many cities wish for the opportunity to enjoy the economic and social benefits that go along with having a port. It is a point that connects Québec City to the rest of the planet, a place to import basic necessities and to export the best we have to offer.
This opportunity comes with challenges and responsibilities to which we hold ourselves accountable. In this sense, the port has truly undergone a transformation. It lives and breathes along with its community and keeps pace with a changing society, all in line with our economic realities.
In short, our port keeps up with the times.
Everything is in place so that our port thrives, innovates and can cohabit harmoniously with its community :
- The management team is strong;
- Port users share our ambitious vision; and
- Employees are more engaged than ever.
In this context, the Board of Directors that I chair is determined to give the Port the support it needs to continue to develop. I would furthermore like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the contribution of each member of the Board of Directors who, through their expertise, knowledge, rigour, and depth, greatly enrich the discussions we have in our governance body. Our port is absolutely stronger and more resilient with people of their calibre around the table.
Our financial results reflect a year marked by instability, with lingering traces of a pandemic, and punctuated by intermittent health recommendations. In this context, the financial results are up to the mark. They illustrate the effort our teams made to manoeuvre in circumstances that were anything but usual, and to find success in a global economic environment marked by uncertainty.
A transition year
2022 was a year in which we laid the foundations for what we want to achieve. The work surrounding our strategic planning has been an opportunity to rally ourselves around shared priorities. From this exercise emerged a unifying vision :
- A vision that projects us toward 2035;
- A vision that frees us from the challenges of the moment to think about the future; and
- A vision that is grafted to an economic, social, and environmental ecosystem and that transcends the port territory.
The Board of Directors fully adheres to this 2035 Vision and is proud of the trajectory we are taking, the transition we are negotiating, the alliances we are building, and the projects that drive us.
To say that we are in the right place, at the right time is certainly not the result of chance. It is the result of a collective effort backed by a team whose strength comes from its employees, all the way to senior management and our high-performing terminal operators, not to mention solid partnerships. Here the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Of course, I cannot ignore the commitment of our tireless President and CEO, who brings his energy and vision to our organization.
It is clear that this collective strength makes the port a place where anything is possible: it is intimately linked to our region’s economic prosperity, it showcases an exceptional port territory dotted with recreational tourism spaces popular with visitors and tourists alike, and it becomes a laboratory for innovation and the energy transition, all while serving its community.
Whether it is the economic, social, environmental, or community component, one thing is certain: Our port delivers.
Marie-Huguette Cormier
Chair of the Board of Directors
Québec Port Authority
Members of the Board of Directors and Committees
A Word from the President and CEO
2022 marked a turning point for the Port of Québec.
First, because it reinforced the importance of our activities as the different industries served by our terminals were able to depend on resilient and efficient supply chains.
Secondly, because it gave rise to a deep reflection exercise on the strategic orientations we must pursue and our next steps.
Finally, because we have confirmed a shift that we had already taken before and which is reflected in an unprecedented commitment to our community and a desire to become a leader with respect to the environment and the protection of biodiversity.
Our port is a veritable hub:
- 14 terminals welcoming more than 1,000 vessels each year
- The last port in the St. Lawrence–Great Lakes corridor with a 15-metre water depth able to accommodate vessels that contribute positively to the fight against climate change
- One of the most beautiful stops in North America for cruise passengers
- Relaxation areas and river access points.
2022 was a year full of remarkable achievement of which we are immensely proud :
- The finalization of our strategic plan, which will dictate our path in the coming years;
- The commissioning of a new cruise terminal. Québec City now has one of the most modern cruise terminals of all the Canada—New-England ports of call.
- The launch of the citizen consultation platform, “Je participe”
- The creation of the Port of Québec Oasis, the first-ever recreational swimming area located in a North American harbour, thanks to the involvement of citizens including representatives of the Société des Gens de Baignade
Transshipment of goods: variable but comparable volumes
In terms of results, the port has had an impressive year overall. The pandemic was once again disruptive but, overall, the supply chains present at the port, such as steel, construction and mining, performed well. These sectors reached a total of 27.7 million tonnes of cargo handled in 2022, a number similar to 2021 at 28.3 million tonnes.
Some goods saw increases, while others saw decreases. There was also an increase in liquid bulk, which is explained by an increase in fuel consumption by individuals and businesses. The resumption of air transport was a major factor in this respect.
The year 2022 also marked the return of cruise ships after a two-year absence, with new options on the table and modernized infrastructure. With nearly one hundred stopovers on record, Québec City welcomed approximately 92,000 cruise passengers in 2022. This is only half the number of vacationers in 2019, but the pandemic gave us the opportunity to complete the construction of the cruise terminal at Wharf 30. In addition, we renewed an agreement with the Canadian Coast Guard for the use of their newly restored wharf. As a result, we were able to welcome cruise ships there for the first time since 2013.
Environment and air quality: a priority at all times
If there is one priority issue where the Port of Québec is putting in a tremendous amount of effort and aiming to establish its leadership, it is the environment.
We are working on our fourth sustainable development action plan, which will focus on biodiversity and the energy transition. We will report on our sustainability performance on an annual basis, taking an accountability approach that is transparent to the public and based on international standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).
But that’s not all. At a time when greenhouse gas reductions are top of mind, we will be developing and implementing an ambitious and realistic plan to decarbonize the port and will share the results by 2025.
In short, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with all our port users, we will be agents of change and leaders in the fight against climate change.
Commitment to our community
In 2022, the Port demonstrated that that its actions are rooted in a deep commitment to its community. We have created links and built new bridges.
Over the course of the year, we have developed tools to foster this ongoing dialogue with citizens, including launching a newsletter and a web platform to encourage and facilitate citizen participation.
We also set out to meet people in our community, organizing the family-friendly Maritime Festival, which brought together the entire port community, as well as neighbourhood round tables serving to keep citizens informed and to welcome their ideas on different projects.
For all the projects that are taking shape and the projects that we have launched, I would like to thank the members of the Board for their trust, as well as our employees, our operators, our partner, and the citizens who take the time to talk with us and who help us become better.
A transformative port in a changing world
All these elements form the basis of our 2035 Vision, which we presented at the beginning of 2023: to be a port recognized by citizens for its responsible management of port lands and its activities, as well as respect for the environment and protection of biodiversity, while positioning itself as a global leader in establishing sustainable supply chains for a more resilient economy.
A port evolves. Ours has evolved and it must continue to evolve… Together, we must create an environment that is conducive to developing our port activities in Québec City, taking an agile and innovative approach.
Lately, we have built the foundation on which we will build the future. Much more than the unveiling of a vision, it is an invitation to transform. The port of yesteryear, which served as a simple transit between point A and point B, no longer exists. Our organization is resolutely forward-looking, ready to change paradigms, embrace change, and raise the bar.
In short, we are a transformative port in a changing world.
Mario Girard
President and Chief Executive Officer
Québec Port Authority
Board of Directors
As of December 31, 2022
Management Team
As of December 31, 2022
Financial statements
Home > About the port > Annual reviews > Looking back