Cruise: Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières Dedicates New Cruise Passenger Terminal
A new maritime passenger terminal officially opened at the Port of Trois-Rivières on May 20 with a ceremony attended by Trois-Rivières Mayor Yves Lévesque and Julie Boulet, minister of tourism for the Province of Quebec.
For five years, Trois-Rivières has been port of call for growing numbers of international cruise ships, their guests, and crew members. Last year’s traffic consisted of 14 vessel calls and 6,130 passengers, up from 3 calls and 1,796 passengers in 2014. Overwhelming majorities of these visitors expressed satisfaction with the city of three rivers.
The effort that led to the building of the new terminal was prompted by a desire to boost the approval rating by providing cruise tourists with a new experience and spurring innovation and economic development.
"The opening of this novel maritime station allows Trois-Rivières to distinguish itself and to position itself advantageously for cruise line companies," said Mayor Lévesque.
The construction cost of C$630,000 was funded by contributions of C$382,000 from the city of Trois-Rivières, $168,000 from provincial ministry of tourism, and C$80,000 from the port authority.
"It is with pride that I participate in the inauguration of the maritime passenger terminal of Trois-Rivières, a project supported by my government," said Minister Boulet. "Through the tourism component of our Maritime Strategy, we wish to make the St. Lawrence River a tourism icon of international significance that will make the people of Quebec proud, make a favorable impression on foreign clients, and result in substantial economic benefit. This accomplishment extends a warm welcome to the city and the region to the cruise line clients who stop here."
Said Port Authority Chief Executive Gaétan Boivin: "The money invested in this terminal underscores the port’s desire to facilitate access to the river by citizens and visitors and to improve the city/port interface. During the past few years, the Port of Trois-Rivières has completed the Hector-Louis-Langevin riverside park and constructed a walkway that improved access to parks. These improvements make us more welcoming and better able to meet the expectations of our customers."