The Port of Québec in numbers...
-
+ 2 billion $
in economic benefits annually -
+ 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 -
154,000
cruise passengers, 28 cruise companies and 41 different ships that made a stopover at the Port of Québec -
15-metre
water depth at low tide to accommodate large vessels
Mission
The mission of the Québec Port Authority is to promote and develop maritime trade, to serve the economic interests of the Québec 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.
2035 Vision
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. The best of four worlds:
- Become a leader in community engagement;
- Commit to a more sustainable world by becoming a trailblazer in the energy transition and the fight against climate change;
- Innovate and consolidate our position as a global player and port at the forefront of change;
- Move forward together by becoming an employer of choice that is humanly committed.
A Word from the Chair of the Board of Directors
2023 marks the launch of the Port of Québec’s 2035 Vision and, by extension, a new destination that has been welcomed with open arms.
The 2035 Vision shows how uses and spaces can co-exist as never before. It paves the way for decarbonization and electrification, as well as modernizing our practices and ways of doing things.
It combines growth with community development.
It interweaves the past, the present, and progress.
The new strategic plan for 2023–2026 sets the foundation for an exciting future marked by challenges and opportunities that the Port of Québec must seize. In addition, the plan provides a roadmap to follow in the pursuit of its mission and redefines relations between its trading partners, citizens, and stakeholders.
For the Port of Québec, 2023 is synonymous with innovation, on multiple levels.
This translates into trusted partnerships that make the organization more agile, more efficient, and more connected.
This has concrete repercussions in the ways of doing things, in the way of approaching issues and in interactions with citizens. It is important to do more, to do things better and, sometimes, to do things differently. This is how we improve and live more in harmony with those around us.
In terms of governance, innovation guides us on a daily basis.
The Board of Directors embraces new realities and social change: We have put ESGDD (environmental, social governance and due diligence) at the basis of our actions. Moreover, a consultant specialized in ESG issues provided training that highlighted emerging trends and associated risks in the maritime industry. Thanks to his expertise, the members of the Board of Directors obtained a thorough analysis of the current and future challenges faced by port sector players. With a focus on sustainable practices, regulatory compliance and innovation opportunities, this training enlightened members on the essential strategies for navigating an ever-changing marine landscape, while integrating ESG imperatives into business operations.
In fact, the team around me on the board of directors is looking at the Port, which belongs above all to the community, with fresh eyes. We are the trustees of a lever for prosperity that we must make ever more relevant and at the service of our community. To this end, the members of the Board of Directors completed various trainings in 2023. One specific training helped raise awareness of the latest trends in cybersecurity and deepened their understanding of this area. By highlighting the issues specific to the Port of Québec, this training gave members the opportunity to gain a better understanding of cybersecurity in marine and port contexts. The training also highlighted the protection of systems and data within the port infrastructure.
Above all, the Port of Québec is intimately linked to the economic and social development of the region. We have shaped its history.
Our businesses depend on inputs that pass through our waterway at one time or another. These same companies also need a window on the world and port infrastructure to conquer the international market. A visit to the Jean-Gaulin refinery, operated by Valero, provided a valuable opportunity for board members to deepen their understanding of the operations at this industrial facility. By exploring the facilities and observing the processes in action, they gained a tangible perspective on the operator’s activities. This allowed them not only to visualize the different stages of transforming raw materials into finished products, but also to grasp the challenges and innovations specific to this sector.
Our fellow citizens, who dream of wide-open spaces and access to the river, will find a fantastic playground for sporting and recreational activities, such as walks along the river.
I think it is important to stress that the port is also the right place to embody efforts to protect the environment and combat climate change, while reminding us that marine transport remains the greenest mode of transport in the world.
This annual report summarizes the main achievements that mobilized the organization. Every day, the Port, our users, our skilled workers and our employees work to build Québec’s maritime ecosystem. This is the result of the commitment and collaboration of all members of our team. Of course, I must emphasize the essential contribution of our President and CEO and his management team, as well as that of the members of the Board of Directors with whom I sit. We often work behind the scenes, but we’re proud to put our work in the spotlight.
You will discover an agile organization that is determined, committed and focused on the common good.
Yes! An organization… that innovates!
Marie-Huguette Cormier
Chairwoman of the Board of Directors - Québec Port Authority
Members of the Board of Directors and Committees
A Word from the President and CEO
From here, we see far ahead…
This tagline, which accompanies our new brand image, has been carefully chosen to better represent what drives us as an organization.
Seeing far ahead, means thinking about the future, doing things differently and raising the bar. With its 2035 Vision, unveiled in 2023, the Port of Québec has laid the foundations for the port of tomorrow: a port that is firmly committed to its community, recognized by citizens for its responsible management of port lands and its activities, and its respect for the environment and protection of biodiversity. An innovative and modern port, recognized as an essential link to increase the resilience and sustainability of supply chains.
Seeing far ahead means translating our 2035 Vision into a strategic plan with specific, concrete and ambitious objectives.
Seeing far ahead, means letting it be known that the Port of Québec is a true hub for the regional economy and for Canada. Each year, more than 1,000 ships from 50 countries around the world dock at one of our 14 terminals. In 2023, 27.8 million tonnes of cargo were transhipped at the Port of Québec―a year comparable to the last two and which confirms a certain level of stability in Quebec’s supply chains.
Beyond tonnage data, it is above all the strategic nature of the materials passing through the port that we must underscore. Fuels, grains, sugar, iron―all the necessary raw materials that form part of an impressive number of by-products and that meet citizens’ daily needs.
In terms of cruises, we had a most impressive season. 2023 demonstrated that the pandemic is clearly behind us. More than 154,000 cruise passengers, 28 cruise lines and 41 separate ships visited us and resulted in 131 stopovers during the season, from April 25th to November 5th. Moreover, as a sign of the times, our first visitor was the Viking Octantis, which is equipped with an electrical system. A reminder that we are entering another era that is greener and more environmentally responsible, and that we have a duty to prepare ourselves appropriately for it.
With this top of mind, 2023 called for a review of the international cruise model in order to reap the full benefits of responsible, sustainable development.
NWe also received the award for the best cruise destination on the Canada/New England route for 2023, presented by the magazine Porthole Cruise and Travel. Québec City was the only Canadian destination to win this award in 2023. We join, in this list, other renowned destinations such as Amsterdam, Bora Bora, Istanbul, and Singapore. That’s nothing to scoff at!
Seeing far ahead means ensuring the sustainable development of our activities for the benefit of future generations.
In line with our commitments to biodiversity, we have set up a working group dedicated to the development of ecosystems on the port territory in conjunction with the Capitale-Nationale Conseil régional de l’Environnement (CRE). In particular, I would like to commend the contribution of the Ville de Québec and the Huron-Wendat Nation, as well as that of other organizations and institutions involved in the initiative.
Seeing far ahead also means adapting our governance and our ways of doing things to new standards. In this regard, we worked in 2023 to develop an ESGDD Action Plan for 2024–2028. This ambitious plan, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, will allow us to implement significant environmental, social, and governance actions.
Seeing far ahead means planning the refurbishment, upgrading and development of our infrastructure with an eye to the distant future, and taking their lifespan into consideration. In this respect, investments linked to the energy transition will be of prime importance. We recently filed applications for financial assistance from the federal and provincial governments to accelerate the completion of our wharf electrification projects.
Seeing far ahead means putting innovation at the heart of our actions. In the past year, we have developed partnerships with strategic players in the innovation ecosystem in Québec, including 2 Degrés, Novarium, and MT Lab. We also participated in a number of activities and events that open the port territory to numerous companies and start-ups, for whom the port is developing into a large laboratory.
Seeing far ahead means recognizing that our mandate transcends port activities and includes accessibility to the river and our spaces for the community.
In this sense, 2023 was a particularly fruitful year: the opening of the La Cale du Port de Québec and the return of the Port of Québec Oasis, the Port of Québec Nordik Village and the family-friendly Maritime Festival, not to mention our popular sugar shack. Success on all fronts, enshrining a truism: the river belongs to the people, and it’s our duty to make it more accessible.
Seeing far ahead also means imagining how our supply chains can be more efficient both in terms of efficiency and greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions.
Collaboration between the ports of Montreal, Québec City and Trois-Rivières has never been stronger. From the moment we all realized that we had more in common than our individual corporate interests, the possibilities increased tenfold. Whether we are in Montréal, Québec City or Trois-Rivières, we all work with the same development tool: the St. Lawrence River, our marine corridor.
This is why we have created several working groups allowing us to exchange on best practices and aiming at the joint realization of operations beneficial to all stakeholders. In this regard, 2024 has some great surprises as we work to take this collaboration even further by focusing more specifically on supply chain resiliency.
Ultimately, whether it is to support our port partners, to improve our supply chains, to anchor ourselves in our community or to propel our region, there is only one certainty: From here, we see far ahead.
Mario Girard
President and Chief Executive Officer - Québec Port Authority
Executive Committee
As of December 31, 2023
Management Team
As of December 31, 2023
Financial statements
As of December 31, 2023
Overview of Financial Statements
Québec Port Authority
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