Transport Committee on Feb. 23rd, 2026

[Ian Marr]

The largest one would be the further extension of our dock facility that allows two large vessels to dock at the facility. We have open-water access. We have deep water, so it's easy for ships to get in and out. Delay times would be reduced. We can take the large ships, although most of them are only going to be in the 12,000 TEU range. We can take larger than that, just with our depths alongside.

That would be the most important investment, which would be about $300 million, based on our estimates at this time. That would start the additional investment in logistics parks and things like that, and moving up and down the island and over to the mainland. We would partner with our port operators, DP World, to do that.

We're very similar to Quebec; we're structured in the same way, in that it's the key movement of containers from the congested urban area that I mentioned earlier. We need to do that and look at that before we make these monetary decisions and just hand out money.

[Will Greaves, Liberal, Victoria, BC]

These are my last couple of seconds, Mr. Marr.

Your top priority would be expanding the size of your docking facility. Is it fair to say that doing so, and thus having larger vessels docking in Nanaimo, would further increase the strain on the rail and road infrastructure that you've already noted? Would it therefore lead to the need to invest in that capacity as well, on the other side of expanding the size of your docking berths?

[Ian Marr]

Yes, I think I mentioned earlier that we need to look at how we would do that. Does it have to be at the same points, similar to where we're landing containers and moving containers? Does it have to be at the same points as existing rail? No, it doesn't. I think it can be moved to other places that are more beneficial, on the river.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you very much, Mr. Greaves.

Thank you, Mr. Marr.

Mr. Barsalou‑Duval, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Ms. Farman, we started discussing QSL's container terminal project and customs clearance needs.

At the moment, if I'm not mistaken, there are container terminals on the east coast where customs clearance is integrated. They are in Montreal, Saint John and Halifax. However, there apparently aren't any in Quebec City.

First, why would it be necessary for Quebec City to obtain this permit or service from the federal government? Second, what level of commitment has the government made to that so far?

[Olga Farman]

Thank you for your questions. I'll answer the second one first.

In its budget, the federal government clearly indicated that it wanted to try to designate both Hamilton and Quebec City as international container terminals. We're still waiting for that. I hope to have that designation in the coming weeks.

To answer your first question, you're right. There are already ports that are designated and that operate very well. Our project provides additional capacity for import and export in eastern Canada. So we are really targeting Quebec City and the eastern part of our province. This is a solution that complements the operational limits of certain existing ports, particularly given the depth of the water, which is a significant advantage for the Port of Québec.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

If I understand correctly, you're referring to the advantage that the water depth provides to the Port of Québec, compared to other ports located further on the St. Lawrence. The Port of Montreal also has an expansion project in Contrecœur.

To what extent does your project fit in with that of the Port of Montreal?

[Olga Farman]

We see it as a fully complementary project. So the goal is to offer economies of scale to shipping lines that will strengthen the competitiveness of the St. Lawrence as an entry point for Ontario and eastern Quebec.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

I would like to discuss one last point.

I know there's not much time left, but I'd like to know whether we can expect to have environmental studies for the QSL project.

[Olga Farman]

Absolutely. That will be possible as soon as the environmental assessment process is launched, but we have to obtain the designation as an international port before receiving the project as such.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you, Ms. Farman.

Next, we have Mr. Lawrence.

Mr. Lawrence, the floor is yours. You have five minutes.

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Clarke, ON]

Thank you.

My questions will be for you, Ms. Farman.

I apologize. My French is not nearly as good as Xavier's, so I'll be speaking English here.

I want to first give you an opportunity just to brag a little bit about the Port of Quebec. What type of impact does the Port of Quebec have on the GDP of Canada? Again, that's if you know the numbers. Also, maybe you can talk a little bit about the fact that it is the deepest water port along the St. Lawrence Seaway.

[Olga Farman]

Thanks so much for your question.

I'm sure your French is fantastic.

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Clarke, ON]

It's really not.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Olga Farman]

I really appreciate your question.

I want to start by mentioning my fellow port authorities along the St. Lawrence. I represent the Port of Québec, but whether it's the Port of Saguenay, the Port of Trois‑Rivières, the Port of Sept‑Îles or any other provincial port, we are all part of an ecosystem. You'll be meeting with some of those port administrators, if I'm not mistaken. This whole time, I've been talking a lot about the complementary role we each play in a broader ecosystem that serves not just Quebec, but also the Great Lakes.

To answer your first question, I will say that the Port of Québec ranks fourth in the country in terms of revenue. It handles 28 million tonnes of goods a year, generating $2 billion in economic spinoffs annually, while supporting 12,000 jobs in the greater Quebec City area. We serve more than a thousand ships a year.

I am extremely proud to say that we are the leading cruise destination on the St. Lawrence, with 140,000 cruise passengers in 2025 and more than 103 stopovers.

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Clarke, ON]

Thank you very much.

I've actually had the opportunity to see some of the pictures of the wharfs and the piers. Honestly, it was shocking to me. It looked like something that was built by Jacques Cartier many, many years ago. We currently have one—I believe it's wharf 60.... There's also the threat that 104 and 106 could fall into the water. I think nearly everyone—including the government, I think—agrees that we need to update those.

How much are the delays hurting? If you'd had that $380 million two or three years ago, how much further along would you have been right now?

[Olga Farman]

I'm always looking to the future. Having been at the port authority's helm for a year now, I think making the investments so that the reconstruction work can begin is fundamentally important.

We've already issued the requests for proposals, basically, and the requests for qualifications.

As soon as all the funding comes together, we'll be able to do the work to strengthen the docks. That means the money from the federal government, but also the money from the provincial government, port assets and, above all, the $200 million in private investment—which is conditional on the federal investment.

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Clarke, ON]

Thank you very much.

At this point, I would just like to give notice of the following motion. I do not want to debate it.

I apologize. This will just take a minute.

It reads:

That the Minister of Transport, along with officials from the Department, be invited to appear on the Supplementary Estimates (C), 2025-26, for two hours; and that this meeting take place at least five calendar days before the Supplementary Estimates are to be reported to the House.

Thank you for your excellent testimony. I appreciate it.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Thank you very much, Mr. Lawrence.

Thank you again, Ms. Farman.

To wrap up the first round, we'll turn the floor over to Ms. Nguyen.

Ms. Nguyen, you have five minutes, please.

[Chi Nguyen, Liberal, Spadina—Harbourfront, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

It's nice to see everyone today.

Thank you very much to our witnesses, both those joining us online and those appearing here today.

My first question comes out of your testimony, Mr. Marr. You noted the need for whole systems thinking, not just the maritime pieces but also the rail corridor, etc. I would love to hear your reflections on the best role or the best place for the federal government around leading that work in collaboration with our partners here.

I would invite each witness to share a couple of minutes on that before I do my next round.

[Ian Marr]

I'll open up on that. Thank you very much.

You're talking about the best place to amalgamate that thought process and things like that. The national supply chain office has obviously started that work. It has gone through some of that stuff and understands everybody in the marketplace. I would see building on that. Maybe you have to look at a different mandate for that as well, but I really think we have to get to the bigger thing of how we make a better system and not just fix a bridge here and a railhead there or whatever.

[Larissa Fenn]

I can add to that. Because we are operating a port network, we certainly view all our ports as multimodal hubs. We know from our customers that when they come to locate their business at the port, they are looking to be able to use the right mode of transportation at the right time. The ability of port authorities to invest across the modes of transportation is really essential. It's what our customers expect.

I think ports are really useful instruments of federal public policy in making sure we are meeting customer needs at that really granular community level.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Schiefke]

Ms. Farman, do you have anything to add?

[Olga Farman]

Yes, I will add that the legal framework governing ports needs to be modernized and the trade diversification corridors fund needs to start operating as quickly as possible.