SEPT-ÎLES, October 16, 2015 – The Port of Sept-Îles is very pleased with the opening of the new Société du Plan Nord regional office by Pierre Arcand, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Plan Nord. With this new office, located at 818 Laure Boulevard, Sept-Îles joins Roberval, Baie-Comeau and Chibougamau as strategic outposts for Société du Plan Nord. The Sept-Îles office will employ the largest staff.
“By opening this regional office and hiring four resource people with excellent first-hand knowledge of the region, we feel the corporation is taking a strong step toward harnessing the opportunities available in our vast region in deploying the Plan Nord. The Port of Sept-Îles is a strategic port, and its new multi-user dock is the highest-capacity ore-handling facility in North America. There’s no question that having a Société du Plan Nord office here will deliver tangible benefits and be a boon for business,” said Port of Sept-Îles President and CEO Pierre D. Gagnon.
“This ambitious development plan, which hinges on community consultation and cooperation, is exactly what we need right now. The current economic slowdown and flagging iron ore market are being felt in our communities and the entire region. The Plan Nord will help power economic recovery by creating new employment opportunities and securing existing jobs in the region. The government’s willingness to work with regional actors, aboriginal communities, and the private sector is the linchpin of this innovative Plan, which can meet the real needs of our region,” noted Avit Ouellet, Chair of the Sept-Îles Port Authority Board of Directors.
ABOUT THE PORT OF SEPT-ÎLES
Boasting diverse, state-of-the-art facilities, the Port of Sept-Îles is North America’s largest ore-handling port with an annual volume of close to 28 million tons. The port infrastructure at Sept-Îles plays a vital and strategic role in the economy of Eastern Canada. Annual economic impacts are estimated at nearly $1 billion and nearly 4,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Source:
Patsy Keays
Director, Corporate Affairs
Port of Sept-Îles
418 961-1235
