Trois-Rivières: aiming to be an innovative urban port

Located in the heart of the city itself, the Port of Trois-Rivières faces a daily challenge to balance its activities with the life of residents living next to the Port. But the Port sees this co-existence as a great opportunity to work hand in hand with the City, building a feeling of pride and belonging to a dynamic, attractive city. Interview with: The Port of Trois-Rivières is an active member of AIVP since 2016 The City of Trois-Rivières is an active member of AIVP since 2020 AIVP – The Port of Trois-Rivières is located in the heart of the city, something that is often seen as a hindrance for other port cities. But you see it as a source of opportunities that are there to be exploited. That is what you explained in October 2018, at the unveiling of your "On Course For 2030" development plan for the period up to 2030. How exactly do you go about taking advantage of those opportunities, and what are the obstacles that need to be overcome in order to be an "innovative urban port"? Jacques Paquin, VP Marketing and Business Development, Port of Trois-Rivières - You are right, the Port of Trois-Rivières is literally right next-door to residential areas. So the crucial day-to-day challenge for us is to reconcile the industrial activities with the neighbouring urban environment. It’s a challenge we tackle with our partners in the cargo handling and stevedoring industry. Together, we strive to make decisions and act as if we ourselves lived next-door to the Port. Generally speaking, citizens want the port to create jobs, generate economic benefits and contribute to social development, all while having the smallest possible impact on the environment and creating the fewest possible disadvantages for the neighbourhood. So it’s about finding the right balance that allows us to promote the port’s activities while maintaining peace and quiet for residents living nearby. An urban port © Port of Trois-Rivières To do that, we have to ensure that operational best practices are followed, and always be at the cutting edge of developments in this area, in addition to devising initiatives that significantly contribute to the living environment of local residents. For example, the Port of Trois-Rivières is careful to concentrate its bulk handling activities in areas located furthest from residential areas, restrict operating times for sectors adjacent to the city centre, plant vegetation to act as a buffer, and even create green spaces for residents and visitors to use. The "On Course For 2030" development plan, which will guide our actions over the coming years, is designed precisely for that priority, to be an "innovative urban port". Two major projects in particular are part of that approach, namely Terminal 1 and the waterfront development. The first is an innovation-based response to constantly rising demand from users, whereas the second is intended to…