History

Historical milestones

The Port of Valleyfield is part of the city’s history and has contributed to the development of our beautiful region and its economy. It is a history strewn with obstacles: from the first canal dug by hand to the logistics hub for all the industrial complexes of the southwestern Montérégie region that it is today, the Port of Valleyfield has succeeded in surviving the passage of time and remaining efficient.

1845

1845 – Opening of the Old Beauharnois Canal (18-km long) in proximity to Route 132;

1899

1899 – The Soulanges Canal (23.6-km long);

1899 – The Soulanges Canal (23.6-km long) replaces the Old Beauharnois Canal which has been deemed obsolete as a result of the industrial boom;

1932

1932 – Opening of the new Beauharnois Canal (24.5-km long);

1932 – Opening of the new Beauharnois Canal (24.5-km long) and inauguration of the Beauharnois hydroelectric power plant;

1959

1959 – Inauguration of the St. Lawrence Seaway;

1965

1965 to 1968 – Creation of the Société du Port de Valleyfield

1965 to 1968 – Creation of the Société du Port de Valleyfield, the first legally constituted autonomous entity with the responsibility of administering and developing the Port of Valleyfield and the only autonomous and self-managed municipal port in Canada; The M/S Christine: the first ship to enter the Port of Valleyfield with a cargo of phosphate for Les Engrais du St-Laurent; Construction of a 101,500 square foot warehouse for Canada Steamship Lines (warehouse D);

1970

1970 to 1975 – Construction of Valleyfield & Montreal Tank Storage, now known as Valleytank

1970 to 1975 – Construction of Valleyfield & Montreal Tank Storage facilities, now known as Valleytank (liquid bulk handling and storage); addition of 23,650 square feet of warehouse space;

1978

1978 to 1988 – First and second expansions

1978 to 1988 – First and second expansions: addition of a bulk terminal and an expansion, addition of approximately 500 meters of docks, construction of a 3,440 square foot warehouse;

1994

1994 to 1996 – Stevedoring: Valport Maritime Services assumed management of port operations;

1994 to 1996 – Stevedoring: Valport Maritime Services assumed management of port operations; Construction of a warehouse to receive 20,000 tons of industrial salt; McAsphalt Industries moves into the Port (handling and storage of liquid bitumen);

2000

2000 to 2005 – Addition of a Ro-Ro

2000 to 2005 – Addition of a Ro-Ro (Roll-On, Roll-Off) horizontal loading ramp; Construction of a 1,000 square meter warehouse;

2009

2009 to 2013 – Construction of the Société du Port de Valleyfield’s administrative center

2009 to 2013 – Construction of the Société du Port de Valleyfield’s administrative center, guardhouse and weigh station; addition of a 4,600 square meter warehouse;

2016

2016 – 50th anniversary of the Port of Valleyfield;

2017

2017-2021 – Addition of paved and unpaved storage areas totalling 65,000 square meters.

Salaberry-de-Valleyfield & the power of water

The region’s strong hydroelectric potential—thanks to the 80-foot drop between Lake St. Francis (Salaberry-de-Valleyfield) and Lake Saint-Louis (Beauharnois)—made the town a location of choice for energy-intensive industries.

The construction of a navigation canal in the heart of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield’s downtown core – a connection between Montreal and the Great Lakes – greatly contributed to the town’s economic development. For some time, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield was the 6th largest industrial city in Quebec.

The construction of the new Beauharnois Canal, abundance of water and electricity, availability of a skilled labour force, the city’s geostrategic position alongside the St. Lawrence Seaway and, of course, its port, continue to make Salaberry-de-Valleyfield an essential connection between Quebec, Ontario, and the U.S.

From the Old Beauharnois Canal to the St. Lawrence Seaway

Entirely man made, the Old Beauharnois Canal (1845–1899) gave birth to the town of Salaberry-de Valleyfield, which immediately became known as the “Gateway to the St. Lawrence”.

The construction of the canal was not without its problems. On June 1, 1843, one of the bloodiest industrial disputes in Canadian history erupted as 2,350 workers, masons, and excavators—most of whom were Irish immigrants—went on strike to protest the inhumane working conditions they were subjected to. On June 12, the Union government sent in the infantry and the cavalry to put a stop to the strikers’ display of outrage. Some 70 people perished in this historical conflict.

From 1929 to 1932, efforts were instead focused on building what is our present-day Beauharnois Canal, located between Lake St. Francis (Salaberry-de-Valleyfield) and Lake Saint-Louis (Beauharnois). This enormous canal is one kilometer wide and stretches over 24.5 kilometers through the heart of agricultural land.

Backfilled and closed to navigation in 1907, the Old Beauharnois Canal was replaced by the Soulanges Canal (1899–1958).

In the space of a few decades, the Soulanges Canal ceased its activities in 1959, giving way to the St. Lawrence Seaway.

June 26, 1959: Inauguration of the St. Lawrence Seaway by Queen Elizabeth II of England, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Canadian Prime Minister John G. Diefenbaker.
The Port of Valleyfield, a window onto the ocean
The St. Lawrence Seaway thus became a major waterway between the Atlantic Ocean and the economic heartland of both countries. Wishing to take advantage of this impressive achievement, the City of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield decided to build its own port at a cost of $1.6 million.

Hence, on June 18, 1965, a groundbreaking ceremony was held, attended by the following political figures:
- Charles Mills Drury, Minister of Industry and of Defence Production;
- George James McIlraith, President of the Privy Council;
- Robert Cauchon, Mayor of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield;
- Maurice Lamontagne, Secretary of State;
- Gérald Laniel, Beauharnois-Salaberry MP.
One year later, the M/S Christine was the first ship to dock in the Port of Valleyfield, carrying a shipment of phosphate. Initially built to maintain raw material supplies for Canadian Electrolytic Zinc (CEZ) and Les Engrais du Saint-Laurent, the Port quickly established itself as a logistic hub for industrial sites in the southwest Montérégie area.