The $2.3 billion expansion of the Port of Montreal has entered a new phase, with construction crews beginning work in the St. Lawrence River for a new wharf.

The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) announced on August 14 that in-water construction is underway at the future Contrecœur container terminal site. The work follows months of site preparation that began in the fall of 2025.

According to the CBC, the Port of Montreal secured a $1.16-billion loan from the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) in April to fund the expansion. It also signed a joint development agreement with terminal operator DP World in September 2025.

Crews are building a stone working jetty. The temporary structure will give workers and heavy equipment access to the river work zone. It will also support a crane capable of lifting 300 tonnes (330 t).

More than 250,000 tonnes (275,577 tons) of stone from local quarries have already reached the site. Crews are using the material to build the jetty and provide fill for the future wharf. More stone deliveries are planned in the coming months.

Materials milestone

The project has also reached a key materials milestone. Workers have completed delivery of the sheet piles that will form part of the future wharf. Wharf construction is scheduled for this fall, when crews will install a combined wall made from steel casing piles and sheet piles.

The construction team has spent months preparing the site. Work has included fencing, access roads, work platforms, targeted tree clearing, and site offices and garages.

Environmental measures are also underway. These include compensation work for aquatic vegetation beds and wetlands. The Port of Montreal says the project’s forest habitat compensation plan, including reforestation, is complete.

“The start of in-water construction … clearly demonstrates the project’s progress and brings us closer to commissioning a strategic infrastructure that will enhance Canada’s capacity to trade efficiently,” says Paul Bird, president and CEO of the MPA.

The Constructeurs Terminal de Contrecœur Grand Projet consortium, comprising Aecon and Pomerleau, is carrying out construction.

The completed terminal will boost the capacity of Canada’s second-largest port by 60 per cent, allowing it to handle 1.15 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually by 2030. The expansion includes two berths, a container handling area, an intermodal rail yard, a truck gate, and support facilities.