Mario Girard leaves a clear vision for the Port of Quebec to pursue sustainable development

First of all, what have been the main achievements of the Port of Quebec in terms of sustainable development under your leadership?

In fact, we started from scratch. Some 14 or 15 years ago, sustainable development wasn’t a priority for many people. When I arrived at the Port of Quebec, I had two main priorities. The first was financial, primarily to increase revenues to stabilize a precarious situation. The second was to establish a culture of sustainable development at the port that was essentially non-existent at the time. So we set about thinking about how to position the Port of Quebec as a leader in sustainable development.

A few years before I arrived at the port, when I was still at the Entrepreneurship Foundation, I had drawn up a vision, with the help of an eco-advisor who taught me a lot about sustainable development, imagining the future positioning of the Port of Quebec in terms of sustainable development. So when I arrived at the port, I was already prepared for these issues. I was really motivated to make the Port of Quebec a model for sustainable development. It was definitely part of the vision I wanted to bring to the port. Why am I talking about vision? Because for me, that’s the most important thing.

What is a vision and what’s it for? It’s a barometer that tells you whether you’re going left or right in your day-to-day decisions. When faced with a choice, if we refer to the vision, normally it makes it easier for us to decide on the right path to take – it clarifies our choices. The sum of these decisions –  left, right, left, right, you get the picture – means that after a few months, a few years, you’ve really moved towards something that’s much more concrete.

How do you move from vision to action?

We question; we evaluate: based on this vision, what could we implement? That’s what led to the first sustainable action plan in 2014. It was an ambitious two-year plan. I don’t think I fully understood what it meant at the outset. We had to build a team and get people involved. When I arrived at the port, there was only one person in charge of the environment, and that was only part of his job.

What does the sustainable development department look like today, with all the community relations that accompany it?

We’ve gone from one staffer dedicated part-time to this to a team of 13 people. They are passionate, engaged people who have chosen to act from the inside to move things forward. A port isn’t necessarily the ideal place if you want to be popular of if you’re thinking about sustainable development; it’s still an industrial environment, big, and there are all kinds of issues at stake. However, I have been incredibly supported by inspired people who, like me, have chosen to be agents of change from the inside rather than outside critics.

I remember when you arrived at the port, you found the Green Marine results weren’t up to your expectations and that you wanted to achieve optimum results. How has Green Marine certification helped to improve the environmental performance of the Port of Quebec?

We are proud to be one of the best – if not the best – port in North America to have achieved the top Level 5 for six consecutive years.

I think the key to success, and the reason why we’re now in our third sustainable development program which includes an ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) strategy, is that we have always set for ourselves ambitious but, above all, measurable objectives. We have really measured all our actions, within Green Marine, but also in other areas, such as economic development, for example.

So not only did we establish a clear vision, but we also built a team that embraced these values and put them into action.

Once you had a vision, and a team made up of the right people, what were the biggest challenges in achieving the environmental objectives that you set for yourselves?

That’s why I stayed involved for several years as the first person responsible for sustainable development. We integrated sustainable development right from the start, within the heart of the project office. Why in the project office? Because that’s where 100% of the port’s projects – small, medium and large – are first assessed. This meant that projects could be considered from the outset from a sustainable development point of view. The aim was to ensure that all departments were aligned with the United Nations’ 17 principles of sustainable development and the AIVP’s 2030 Agenda. We are proud to have an organization that is so committed and motivated to remain a leader in sustainable development. Today, it’s no longer just a question of management, or a department of 13 people, it’s a culture that’s anchored in the organization’s DNA.

Does the 2035 vision that you have just published reflect your initial 2010-11 vision for a more sustainable port?

Obviously, it’s more relevant and precise. The 2035 vision emphasizes the importance of involving citizens and being recognized for our responsible management of the land, and protection of the environment and biodiversity. We want to develop world-class supply chains while respecting the environment and working with the community.

Looking back, are there aspects that you would have approached differently to better serve your vision?

Maybe during the first two years, we went a bit too fast. Perhaps I was a little too ambitious in terms of what I asked of my team. It was an intense time. At the same time, I find it hard to respond to that, because we had a solid plan, and I wanted to deliver on it! So, would I do things differently? Perhaps I’d communicate a lot more with the public, because every time we take quality time to sit down together, we generally manage to understand each other better and get along better. Overall, however, when it comes to sustainable development, I’m quite proud of what we’ve achieved, of the progress we’ve made, and of my gang!

On the eve of handing the keys over to the Harbour Master’s Office, what is your legacy at the Port of Quebec, and what would you like to be recognized for?

It’s a heart-wrenching question! There are many fine things that have been achieved, such as the financial aspect, which was one of our two priorities and is certainly a fine achievement. But what I’m most proud of is having been the leader of this group that developed, believed in, and acted every day to advance the vision that we had drawn together. To see today the port’s enviable strategic positioning for our supply chain, its leadership role in relation to ESG principles, sustainable development and citizen relations, that is clearly a great achievement for me. I’m not just talking about the environmental aspect, biodiversity or decarbonization, but also citizen relations and the economy. Today we see people from the AVIP, Green Marine, our peers from all over the world citing the Port of Quebec as a reference, or asking us to share our journey, and it makes me proud of my 14 years as captain of this incredible crew.