Dentons Canada advises Montreal Port Authority on landmark Contrecœur expansion project

Dentons, Canada’s Global Law Firm, is pleased to highlight its role in advising the Montreal Port Authority (MPA) on various aspects of the Port of Montreal expansion project in Contrecœur, which will develop an advanced new container terminal able to handle 1.15 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) by 2030, when it is expected to be fully operational. The MPA recently reached important milestones in the context of the development of this important strategic infrastructure project.

On September 8, 2025, the MPA and DP World in Canada (a joint venture between Dubai-based DP World and La Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec) announced that they had entered into a Joint Development Agreement for the development of the land-based works for the Contrecœur container terminal expansion.

On October 9, 2025, the MPA announced the awarding of the contract, worth CA$609 million, for the in-water works to the CTCGP consortium formed by Pomerleau and Aecon following the completion of a collaborative development phase between the parties. CTCGP will be responsible for design and construction works enabling the buildout of docks and necessary dredging. These water works will begin in 2026, once all required authorizations are obtained.

Over the years, Dentons has been acting as principal legal advisor to the MPA for this project, providing comprehensive advice on the Contrecœur expansion project’s delivery model and procurement strategy, supporting the procurement process, assisting in the structuring of the project, preparing procurement and project documentation and agreements, negotiating with private partners of the project, and offering guidance on governance regimes, regulatory aspects, corporate, financing and other matters.

Over the various stages of the project, partners Mathilde Carrière, Ali Amadee and Lampros Stougiannos co-led a multidisciplinary Dentons team which included core members Mira Gauvin, Wasiu Omotoso, Anoosh Loertscher and Sabrina Mach with additional support from Claude Morency, Ilan Dunsky, Simon Gauthier, Guillaume Savard, Heidi Clark, Steven Nguyen, Alexandre-Philippe Avard, Marie-Andrée Thibault, Stéphane Beaulac, Richard Gauthier, Manon Jubinville, Amélie Pelland, Sarah-Émilie Dubois, Dragann Mallette and Justin Hamzo.

About the Port of Montreal expansion project

The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) is leading the Contrecœur expansion to strengthen supply chains in Québec and across Canada. Supported by public and private partners, including funding from the governments of Canada and Québec, the project will add a new container terminal capable of handling 1.15 million TEUs annually by 2030. Construction will create about 8,000 jobs and deliver two berths, a large container yard, an intermodal rail yard, a truck gate and supporting facilities, reinforcing Montreal’s role as a logistics hub. For more information, access the Port of Montreal’s press releases on the Joint Development Agreement with DP World and the award of the in-water works contract to the CTCGP consortium.

About Dentons Canada’s Infrastructure and PPP Group

Recently ranked in ReNew Canada’s 2025 Top100 Projects Report as the #1 global law firm by project value in the gold category, advising on 15 of the country’s largest public infrastructure projects totalling over CA$102 billion, Dentons has one of the largest and most experienced PPP teams of any international law firm. Our global reach and our experience in advising both the private sector and public authorities on PPP projects throughout Canada and around the world makes us uniquely placed to understand the issues which stakeholders face in successfully procuring, negotiating and implementing PPP projects.