The City of Baie-Comeau announced the terms of an agreement on the governance of Baie-Comeau Cruises (CBC) with its main partner for these activities, the Baie-Comeau Port Management Corporation (BCPMC).

According to a press release, the transfer of the operational and administrative management of CBC from the City to BCPMC will be formalized by a resolution of the municipal council during the regular session on Monday, November 20.

As per the agreement, BCPMC will be responsible for the operational and administrative management of CBC effective January 1, 2024. Also, the City will annually contribute $30,000, to support CBC operations and will continue to hold a seat on the board of directors of CBC.

“This direction makes a lot of sense for the municipal council, which wants municipal services to focus more on their core role and find ways to achieve savings,” said Michel Desbiens, mayor of Baie-Comeau. “In January 2022, bringing this mandate internally ensured the continuity of CBC operations. In November 2023, the reality is different: our local port authority is strong, well-established in the community, and in development mode. It is therefore mutually beneficial to pass them the torch for the management of international cruises,” he continued.

“We would like to thank the City of Baie-Comeau for initiating international cruises and supporting this sector since the beginning. Today, the port takes charge of a well-oiled organization with qualified employees. We will now be able to take the organization further and hope for sustained growth in ship and passenger traffic in the coming years. Cruises at the Port of Baie-Comeau are a priority market, and we will develop it in close collaboration with all our local partners,” said Karine Otis, CEO of BCPMC.

“CBC will be in good hands with BCPMC, a passionate and motivated team, to develop this market. We are proud that our management over the past two years has allowed a successful transition and maintaining momentum, especially after a complete interruption in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. As international cruisers remain tourists, the City will continue its collaboration with BCPMC for certain projects and to support them in their mandate,” said Mathieu Pineault, CEO of CBC and director of communications and tourism for the City.