Julie Gascon named new Port of Montreal president and CEO

Master mariner Julie Gascon has been tapped to take the helm at Canada's second largest port. [Photo: Port of Montreal]

The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) has named Julie Gascon as its next president and CEO. A master mariner, she is currently president and CEO of the Vancouver, B.C., based Pacific Pilotage Authority and will take up her new position on February 12, 2024.

Gascon, a graduate of the Canadian Coast Guard College, comes to the leadership role at Canada’s second largest port with a track record that includes holding a number of strategic positions with Transport Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard.

“On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to welcome Julie Gascon to the MPA,” said Nathalie Pilon, chair of the MPA board. “Her wealth of experience and exemplary career path attest both to her great thoroughness and her innate leadership skills in managing multidisciplinary teams. I am certain that her qualities will enable us not only to continue our current projects, but give them fresh impetus.”

“I would also like to thank the current management team for their contribution, starting with Geneviève Deschamps, who will continue to act as interim CEO until Julie Gascon takes over,” Pilon added.

“The Port of Montreal is a great institution in the marine community, and I look forward to joining a strong team and contributing to the success of a strategic asset for Quebec and the rest of Canada alike,” said Julie Gascon. “I thank the Board of Directors for their confidence in me and welcome the opportunity to work closely with both the industry and the many communities we serve, to extend the Port of Montreal’s reach even further.”

Hailing from Greater Montreal, Gascon holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Montreal, and a bachelor’s degree of technology in nautical sciences from the University College of Cape Breton.

Before her shoreside career, Gascon spent most of her seafaring career sailing on Canadian Coast Guard ships. Starting on the West Coast fleet in 1998, she also sailed on very large crude carriers and large passenger vessels to complete her master mariner certification. After holding a number of strategic positions within Transport Canada, including serving as Director General, Marine Safety and Security, and the Canadian Coast Guard, she subsequently served as Pacific Pilotage Authority CEO until her appointment to the Montreal Port Authority.