Investments in Davie: the political class and the business community rejoice

The announcement of the investments in Davie was unanimously welcomed by the political class and the business community of Quebec on Tuesday.

• Read also: Historic announcement: Quebec injects more than half a billion dollars into the Chantier Davie de Lévis

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“Now, Lévis has an international stature that will be recognized around the world!” exclaimed the mayor of Lévis, Gilles Lehouillier, when announcing the integration of the shipyard into the federal naval strategy, coupled with an investment of $840 million. For him, there is no doubt that this will create a “new innovation zone” in Lévis.

His father, Philippe Lehouillier, was present for this announcement. At 100, the former site employee “symbolizes everything you have done as workers to ensure its sustainability,” Mr. Lehouillier told the dozens of workers present.

Mayor of Quebec

“This is an extraordinary announcement for the entire region,” reacted the mayor of Quebec, Bruno Marchand, also present at the announcement. “There are a lot of suppliers who are from the North Shore. The benefits of building ferries and icebreakers are huge for the region, north shore and south shore. This is probably one of the biggest economic announcements we have seen in recent years.”

Federal Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Quebec, Jean-Yves Duclos, considered “unfair and inconceivable” that Davie had been excluded from the National Shipbuilding Strategy by the Conservatives in 2010. “Because Davie is the largest shipyard naval in the country. Because Davie plays a considerable role in the economic and technological ecosystem of the Quebec region,” he said during his speech in Lévis.

According to him, the shipyard will become after this announcement “a pole comparable to that of aeronautics in Montreal or the automobile industry in Ontario”.

Manufacturers

The upgrade of the site and the contracts to come are a source of delight for the business community. The Manufacturers and Exporters of Quebec speak of “positive spinoffs, not only in the region of Quebec and Chaudière-Appalaches, but also for the whole of Quebec”.

The Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec believes that “this long-awaited recognition will not only energize the sector, but also the Canadian economy as a whole. As a partner of SNCN and according to estimates, Davie’s contribution could reach up to $21 billion by 2040”.

“This historic partnership will make it possible to further position the expertise in shipbuilding present in the port community of Québec-Lévis and to maintain strategic infrastructures corresponding to today’s technological needs”, indicated the Port of Québec. , who is delighted to be a partner of Davie.

Union

At the CSN, we celebrated this news as a victory for the workers. “We know that there will be work on the site for at least one generation of workers, if not more, it will once again be possible to make a career there without major interruption”, welcomed the president of the Lauzon Shipyard Workers’ Union, Jean Blanchette.

– With the collaboration of Jean-Luc Lavallée