For years, the Chamber has argued that the economic future of the city, in particular in the manufacturing sector – whether traditional, innovative, light, in the heart of the city or on the outskirts – depends on the competitiveness of its transportation logistics to and from global markets. It believes we need to be prepared for intelligent logistics.
This is the backdrop against which the Chamber participated in consultations by the Office de consultation publiques de Montréal (OCPM) regarding Assomption Sud–Longue-Pointe.
Transportation and logistics is a strategic sector for the metropolitan area and accounts for almost 45,000 direct jobs and 70,000 indirect jobs. Montréal distinguishes itself from other international logistics chains for the quality of its labour force and its efficiency in intermodal transfers. The Port of Montreal can reach 70 million consumers in 36 hours by train and 40 million people in 48 hours by truck. By leveraging these assets, the Port is seeing a sustained increase in the volume of commercial activities.
This growth is likely to continue, particularly because Canada has signed three important international trade agreements. The logistics and transportation sector will see sustained growth in the coming years. In the context of a digital transformation in the industry, which is leveraging the presence of the CargoM cluster and the SCALE.AI supercluster, intelligent logistics offers a great deal of potential.
The Chamber believes that Assomption Sud–Longue-Pointe is well positioned to seize these opportunities, to become a site of innovation and to show leadership that will be a magnet for investors and developers. The logistics sector should be part of the revitalization efforts for the area because of its potential and ability to generate the development of light manufacturing through its distinctive assets of the proximity of the port and transportation routes.
The Chamber is also aware that the planned development is likely to disrupt an area where people live, work and play. This is why it recommends that a complete, cohesive, uncompromising plan of mitigation measures be deployed to benefit all stakeholders.
The Chamber believes that decisions about the development of Assomption Sud–Longue-Pointe will establish the amount of determination among actors to create winning conditions to achieve the objectives of the Declaration to Revitalize Montréal East.
Overall, the Chamber encourages the OCPM to take into account two principles of intervention in its analysis.
- Continuity: The area already has distribution centres, production sites and corporate head offices. It is clearly a major industrial port area. The context is favourable for growth in these activities and for improving the industrial fabric.
- Modernity: In the spirit of territorial development that includes a number of “live, work and play” functions, peaceful cohabitation is in everyone’s interest. This is why we need meaningful mitigation measures.
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