The research project entitled « Economic impacts of hydrological changes on maritime traffic and international trade in the St Lawrence basin: a digital twin approach » received a grant of $317,246 over three years as part of the competition Action concertée - Programme de recherche sur les impacts économiques des changements climatiques of the Fonds de recherche du Québec, in partnership with the ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP) and Ouranos.

Led by Professor Thierry Warin, Director of the Department of International Affairs at HEC Montréal and researcher in charge of the CIRANO GVCdtLab Pole, the research team is composed of Martin Trépanier (Polytechnique Montréal, CIRRELT) and Nathalie de Marcellis-Warin (Polytechnique Montréal, CIRANO), as well as a post-doctoral researcher who will join the team shortly. The project benefits from the collaboration of Christian Dea (Transport Canada) and Louis Maltais (Fisheries and Oceans Canada). Several master's students will be involved in the project.

The research will build on the ongoing development of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence digital twin to assess the economic impact of climate change on trade in the St. Lawrence corridor. This data-based analysis aims to provide new insights on the impacts of future climate change and its wider societal effects, particularly in strategically important economic sectors in Quebec.

→ Read the QRF press release