Port-Daniel cement investment, Canada

Canada is expected to contribute CAD350m (US$313m) to build a 2Mta cement plant in Port-Daniel. The investment, will take the shape of repayable loans and participation, Pauline Marois, premier of the Québec government, is expected to announce on Friday. The balance of the CAD1bn project will be financed by Ciment McInnis and the Beaudier group.

Construction work is expected to start later this year. It is envisaged that the construction will employ 2000 people while the plant will offer 400 jobs after its commissioning – a key consideration in a region which suffers from chronic unemployment.

The works will be built on a limestone deposit. Its production capacity corresponds to the 2012 production of Québec four existing cement facilities. Lafarge, which has a production unit in Saint Constant, says the new works will saturate the local market. Sales in 2013 were estimated at around 1.7Mt. However, McInnis said its output is mainly destined for export, particularly to the US east coast.