The federal government is footing the bill for one-third of a $16-million infrastructure upgrade to the Port of Hamilton that will increase capacity and cut down on shipping delays.
Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas MP Filomena Tassi made the announcement of a $5.5 million investment in the expansion of Pier 10 on behalf of federal Minister of Transport Marc Garneau on Wednesday morning.
The Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA) says the project will allow Pier 10 to become a dedicated agri-food cluster by adding more storage space and increasing berthing capacity for vessels to move Canadian goods to international markets more efficiently.
Ian Hamilton, CEO of HOPA, said the lack of berthing space for shipping vessels is a major obstacle in increasing export capacity.
“Last fall, it was common to see the vessels lined up in the harbour, waiting for berth space,” said Hamilton. “Which makes a great photo opportunity, but really highlights the need for extra berthing capacity.”
“By the dredging and the deepening of the Wellington slip, we’ll be able to meet some of that demand and improve the export efficiency to get Canadian products to foreign markets.”
There will also be a new warehouse built behind the Collective Arts brewery that will be dedicated to storing bulk products like raw sugar and grain. That will also involve a pile-driving manufacturer being re-located from that spot on Pier 10 to Pier 15, which Hamilton said will reduce noise levels for residents in the north end and cut down on truck traffic on Burlington Street.
Glen Norton, director of economic development for the city of Hamilton, says the upgrades will be felt locally as well, as the agri-food industry contributes $1 billion to Hamilton’s GDP.
“We have over 120 food and beverage companies here in our city,” said Norton. “Recently, the agri-food processing sector has grown to become the second-largest sector in our city — second only to advanced manufacturing.”
The project, which is funded through Transport Canada’s National Trade Corridors Fund, will also result in 110 new jobs during construction.
It’s the first major announcement from the newly merged port authority of Hamilton and Oshawa, and HOPA’s CEO said it’s a great way to kick off the beginning of a more regional approach to transporting goods in southern Ontario.
“We believe that an integrated port community for southern Ontario is the right way to go,” said Hamilton. “That allows us to maximize efficiencies, allows us to make sure that cargo is moving through the right facility, spread out the investments to the right places.
“We think this a fantastic first step in that movement towards an integrated port community.”
Hamilton adds that he’s hopeful the expansion project will be completed by 2022.
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