2022 ACTIVITY REPORT: A GOOD YEAR FOR THE PORT OF QUÉBEC
Québec City, June 16, 2023 – The Port of Québec reported on its activities for the year 2022 at today’s annual public meeting. The past year marked the end of the pandemic for the bulk of its maritime and port activities. The Port recorded its third best year of the last ten in terms of activities and tonnage handled. The Port maintained its excellent environmental performance by once again earning the “Excellence and Leadership” title from the maritime industry’s environmental certification program.
The port’s logistical chains such as steel, construction and mines, performed well in terms of volume. The Port handled a total of 27.7 million tonnes of goods in these sectors in 2022, comparable with the 28.3-million tonne figure for 2021. Some goods saw increases and others saw decreases. Liquid bulk rose due to an increase in fuel consumption by individuals and businesses as well as the resumption of air transport.
“The year 2022 was a turning point for the Port of Québec. First, because it demonstrated its relevance because the various industries could count on its terminals’ resilient, efficient, high performance logistical chains. Second, it deeply reflected on which direction to follow and actions to favour, which resulted in Vision 2035 as presented at the beginning of this year. And third, we confirmed a shift we had previously adopted which constitutes an unprecedented community involvement and an ambition to become a benchmark in environmental planning and the protection of biodiversity,” said the Port’s CEO Mario Girard.
The environment: a priority
The environment is one priority on which the Port of Québec is deploying countless efforts toward establishing a leadership position. In 2022, the Port maintained the highest level for all applicable Green Marine certification criteria, an ambitious environmental program aimed at guiding the maritime industry toward environmental excellence by encouraging maritime companies to adopt concrete and measurable actions. The Port of Québec is the only one of 50 or so participating North American port authorities to have maintained the highest level for all applicable criteria for five consecutive years. The Port has now initiated a process that will allow it to establish its new environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy and draft its third sustainable development Action Plan for 2024 to 2029.
Commitment to the community at the forefront
In 2022, the Port showed that community commitment was rooted in its actions by equipping itself with tools favouring an ongoing dialogue with the citizens. The Port launched a citizen newsletter and the online community engagement platform, Je Participe. The Port also met with people, notably by organizing the family-friendly Maritime Festival, which brought the entire port community together, and through neighbourhood roundtables, which it used to inform the citizens and gather their ideas on local projects.
Responsible development for cruises
After being absent for two years because of the pandemic, the regional tourist industry enthusiastically celebrated the return of the cruise ships to Québec in 2022, welcoming 92,000 passengers. 23 cruise lines and 28 different ships visited the Port a total of 98 times. In 2019, the last year of operation prior to the pandemic, the Port had received 150 visits. Last year’s data shows that the cruise industry has recovered well and the city of Québec remains a top destination in the Canada-New England market.
The Port of Québec wishes to work proactively with the community and tourism industry to ensure the cruises integrate harmoniously into the city. To support this, recall that the Port has taken on several Port-City measures of cohabitation, such as setting a daily 15,000 visitor ceiling and limiting simultaneous embarking-disembarking operations from big ships to two.
Recreational tourism activities in full swing
July 1, 2022, marked the inauguration of the Port de Québec Oasis, a project achieved in collaboration with the Société des Gens de Baignade and the non-profit Le Village Nordik du Port de Québec. The Oasis includes swimming and five 50-metre swimming lanes, as well as a terrace, restaurant service, relaxation areas, and shows. The first public harbour bath in North America, the Port de Québec Oasis opened to the public free of charge seven days a week through September 11, during which it welcomed some 75,000 visitors.
The Port de Québec Agora also resumed services in 2022, thanks to a partnership between the Port and the Incubateur de musique francophone (IMF), which produces francophone music events. After consulting with neighbourhood representatives, thirteen different events scheduled over 26 days or evenings, took place at the open-air performance venue. Over 55,000 people attended the site over the summer, which attests to an excellent participation and the public’s appreciation for the return of events at the Agora.
About Port of Québec
The Port of Québec is among Canada’s five largest ports in terms of tonnage handled and economic spinoffs. It is strategically located to serve North America’s industrial and agricultural heartland. Each year, cargo ships from or to some fifty countries call at the Port of Québec to connect the Great Lakes and Midwestern U.S. markets to the rest of the world. Twenty percent of the port’s territory, which extends from Beauport to the South Shore, is dedicated to recreational activities and tourism.
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Source and information:
Frédéric Lagacé
Communications Director
Port of Québec
418 929-5031
[email protected]