NORTH AMERICA: INTERVIEW A call with character Elizabeth Moreau tells Alex Smith how Baie-Comeau is refining its community-driven, highly personalised approach to cruise calls Port Baie-Comeau is approaching the 20th anniversary of its first cruise call, a milestone offering more than a historical marker. For Elizabeth Moreau, director of external and destination relations, it represents a moment to reflect on how far the Quebec town has come as a destination. “September will mark 20 years since we welcomed our first cruise call,” she says. “In the beginning, we had just one ship a year. In 2025, we welcomed 15 calls, 17 are expected this year and 24 are scheduled for 2027.” Baie-Comeau itself has an unusual history. Founded in 1937 by Colonel Robert R. McCormick, owner of the Chicago Tribune newspaper, the town was built around a paper mill established to secure Canadian black spruce trees for paper production. “We’re not even 100 years old,” says Moreau. “We’re only now seeing the first generation of people who were born and lived their entire lives here. Our history is short, but it’s surprisingly rich.” That richness informs the destination’s onshore narrative. McCormick’s influence shaped everything from the pavements – which were once heated in the winter – to carefully planned residential districts. Among the more colourful chapters in Baie-Comeau’s history is ice hockey team the Chicago Blackhawks’ 1952 visit to face a hometown side. “They won 14-2,” says Moreau. “And one of our guides was in the arena that night. When our guides tell a story, they have often lived it.” Structural change has accelerated the port’s strategic evolution. In 2021, Baie-Comeau transitioned from federal ownership to a private, non-profit model. In 2024, it assumed responsibility for cruise destination management from the municipality. “Our vision is to be a community port,” says Moreau. “We invest in projects that benefit residents as much as visitors. We organise events on the pier, and when there isn’t a ship in port, the community can still access and enjoy the space.” Baie-Comeau’s approach is reflected in the port’s product development. When the town’s museum closed during the pandemic and did not reopen, the port created a new exhibition dedicated to local history. It has also taken stewardship of the Seashell Valley, a glacial shell deposit in the forest once mined for early road construction. Plans are underway to reopen it as a managed visitor site. The port is also working to include the Pessamit, the area’s Innu community, in cruise calls. “Everything we develop is designed to serve the community first,” explains Moreau. “Cruise is helping to support that development.” Community acceptance, she argues, is one of Baie-Comeau’s strongest assets. “Residents genuinely enjoy seeing the ships. They come down to the waterfront, or to local cafes, simply to meet passengers.” The openness of the local community has translated into participatory initiatives. One recent example involved a local boy recovering from cancer who launched a project to build the world’s longest painted rock snake as 176 Visitors to Baie-Comeau can explore the town on bespoke tours led by local guides who have experienced much of its history
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