The Halifax Port Authority is tight lipped about the impact $9 billion in planned public and private sector spending over the next 15 years to increase business at the Port of Montreal will have on the port here.

One week ago, Quebec's premier Phillipe Couillard announced a plan to build a new road and open two logistics centres west and north of the port. Couillard hopes the strategy will create 30,000 jobs by 2030.

Montreal's port handles three times more containers than the one in Halifax.

A Jan. 2015 economic impact report says the port generates almost 12,000 jobs and $1.6 billion a year for the provincial economy.

The province declined an interview, saying the Port of Halifax would be in the best position to discuss the potential because it is a federal entity.

However, port officials refused to speculate on what the news could mean.

"It's not our place to comment on or speculate on what another jurisdiction is doing and the impact that might have here in Halifax," said spokesperson Lane Farguson.

Container traffic in Halifax was down 10 per cent last year and is down six per cent this year. In Montreal, container traffic grew almost six per cent last year and has increased about four per cent this year.

Asked what officials in Halifax are doing to reverse the slide here, Farguson cited $250 million in infrastructure spending.

"That's to make sure Halifax is ready to move forward with opportunities as they come forward," he said.