Overview
The multimodal transportation system in Québec is concentrated around major population centres and along the St. Lawrence River, and is a key contributor to local, interprovincial and international trade flows.
The Region is home to three National Airport System airports (Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, Mirabel International Aerocity, and Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport). In 2018, Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) passenger traffic grew by 7% from the previous year to 19.4 million passengers, and remains Canada’s third-largest airport. The province is a major hub of the global aerospace industry as many international organizations (International Civil Aviation Organization, International Air Transport Association and Airports Council International) and national airline companies (e.g. Air Canada and Air Transat) are headquartered in Montreal.
There is a large domestic marine industry due to the St-Lawrence Seaway and Arctic resupply businesses with the headquarters in Quebec. Quebec’s network of ports, along the St. Lawrence River and beyond, includes both private and public facilities, including 5 port authorities. The Port of Montréal with its five container terminals, handled over 1.5 million TEUs in 2017 and is Canada’s second busiest container port.
The Region has 3 Class I railroads (CN, CP and VIA Rail) and 3 passenger rail operations (VIA Rail, Exo and Amtrack) that operates over approximately 5,300 km of track. CN, the largest rail carrier in the country, has its headquarters in Montreal. Montréal is the most easterly point of Class 1 rail carrier CP’s network in Canada, while CN’s network continues towards northern Québec and eastern Canada. There are also stand-alone freight rail corridors connecting iron mines in the Labrador Trough to ports on the north shore of the St. Lawrence.
Albert Deschamps
Regional Director General, Quebec Region
Bio
In July 2014, Albert Deschamps was appointed Regional Director General at Transport Canada for Quebec.
Before this, from 2002 Albert worked at Citizenship and Immigration Canada where he was promoted in 2005 to Director General of the Quebec Region. In the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake in Port-au-Prince, he played a crucial role in the relief effort for the Haitian community both in the field and here in Canada. In 2012, he became manager of the immigration program at the Canadian Embassy in Mexico.
Albert began his public service career in 1992 at Statistics Canada. He then joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and worked at Human Resources Development Canada. Albert holds a Bachelor of Management Science from the University of Ottawa.
Transport Canada Presence
Employee count: 595
Offices: 10
- Regional Headquarters in Dorval, QC
- 9 other offices throughout Québec:
- Alma
- Longueuil
- Québec
- Gaspé
- Îles-de-la-Madeleine
- Kangiqsujuaq
- Rimouski
- Sept-Îles
Transport Canada owned assets:
- 11 Transport Canada (TC) owned and operated aerodromes:
- Chevery
- Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon
- Sept-Îles
- Natashquan
- Eastmain River
- Havre Saint-Pierre
- Îles-de-la Madeleine
- Waskaganish
- Kuujjuaq
- Schefferville
- Wemindji
- 25 ports:
- Baie-Johan-Beetz
- Blanc-Sablon
- Cap-aux-Meules
- Harrington Harbour
- Kegaska
- La Romaine
- La Tabatière
- Natashquan
- Saint-Augustin (Pointe-à-la-Truite)
- Tête-à-la-Baleine
- *Baie-Comeau
- Carleton
- Chandler
- **Gaspé (Sandy Beach)
- **Gros-Cacouna
- Les Méchins
- **Matane
- Miguasha-Ouest
- Pointe-au-Père
- Portneuf
- **Rimouski
- Mont-Louis
- Paspébiac
- Old Fort Bay (Vieux-Fort)
- Saint-François (Île d’Orléans)
- * TC and the Corporation de gestion du port de Baie-Comeau have reached a common understanding regarding the future costs associated with the operating of the Port of Baie-Comeau.
- ** An agreement in principle has been made to transfer these ports to the Government of Quebec on March 30, 2020.