Québec Marine Transportation Policy - Transport - Gouvernement ...

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The government has established the following orientations for the Québec Marine
Transportation Policy: to increase general activity on the Saint-Laurent, to use its assets as socioeconomic
development tools, to promote maritime activities and to foster adequate training of
the workforce.
These orientations have led the government and its partners to set out the basis of their involvement
in the coming years. We have developed action plans to address each of our main objectives.
4.1 Increasing the use of the Saint-Laurent for
transportation and trade
In order to develop transportation and trade on the river, the ministère des Transports and its
partners will focus on the following stakes: coastal shipping and intermodal transportation,
cost-competitiveness of the Saint-Laurent and management of maritime activities with a view
to providing sustainable development.
4.1.1 Developing cabotage and intermodal transportation
Changing North American markets and the current economic context have created new needs in
the field of transportation. The ministère des Transports is committed to reviewing the state of
infrastructures in Québec, establishing strategic networks and clarifying the relationships
between the various means of transportation.
We have seen that shipping can offer interesting solutions to Québec companies for the transportation
of goods. There is however a definite need for better integration with other modes of
transportation - air, rail and road.
The challenge
The Saint-Laurent/Great Lakes system has unrivalled advantages for marine transportation.
Québec must base its action plan on the strengths of the system and work with a multimodal
perspective in mind. This will ensure a high level of competitiveness, public safety and sustainable
development.
Our approach
action
Strategie for action
To take full advantage of cabotage opportunities, the government will promote and support
partnership initiatives between carriers and shippers willing to develop marine intermodal services.
Such partnerships between various players in the transportation sector can evolve as a result of
major industrial development projects. To attain this objective the government intends to: