Montréal, April 26, 2013 – Today the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal held the fourth edition of its Strategic Forum on transportation networks with Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, Sylvain Gaudreault, Minister of Transport, Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, and Michael Applebaum, Mayor of Montréal, in attendance.
“We are facing a three-part challenge when it comes to transportation infrastructures: maintaining our current infrastructure, integrating new technologies to improve the performance of our system and developing networks on time and on budget,” says Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. “But all this must be done against a backdrop of limited financial resources. Decades of underinvestment in transportation infrastructure mean that we are playing catch-up like never before. We have to set clear priorities for players, both private and public, and combine their resources as effectively as possible. That is what we are trying to accomplish in bringing more than 400 decision makers together this morning.”
“The Cargo Montreal cluster is a great example of mobilization to make the city a North American transportation and logistics hub,” Mr. Leblanc says. “We need to rely on strong expertise for our growth. Other assets, such as our electrical industry and our know-how in engineering and construction, must allow us to continue to innovate and distinguish ourselves on the international scene.”
“The business community needs an effective public transit system, top-notch road infrastructure and adequate access to logistical centres,” Mr. Leblanc says. “We have to speed up the development of our key infrastructures if we want the metropolitan area to fully play its role as the economic driver of Quebec.”
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of some 7,000 members. Its mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montréal and to provide individuals, merchants, and local businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity, and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is Quebec's leading private economic development organization.
-30-
Source:
Sylvie Paquette
Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: 514 871-4000, ext. 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/chambremontreal
Twitter:
@chambremontreal
Follow the discussion: #ccmmqcca