Ontario’s Hamilton port is to receive CAD17.7 million (USD13.3 million) from the National Trade Corridors Fund.
The investment, which will be matched by the Hamilton Port Authority (HPA), will go towards the port’s CAD35.45 million (USD26.7 million) modernisation project, which aims to create a multimodal transportation hub at the 115 ha Westport area of the port.
According to HPA president and ceo Ian Hamilton: “This investment recognises what a critical trade gateway the Great Lakes are in serving Canada’s most populated area, and the country’s industrial heartland.”
Close to 10 million tonnes of marine cargo transits Hamilton port each year, including exports of Ontario-manufactured components, factory equipment and machinery.
“Improvements to the Westport area will optimise the port’s current footprint, create new development parcels, and help Canadian companies get their goods to global markets,” added Hamilton.
The modernisation project includes construction of a new dock wall at one of the port’s busiest piers; upgrades to the Westport rail network to provide more cargo handling capacity; improvements to internal roadways; and grading and paving of cargo laydown areas.
Investment will begin before the end of this year and continue through to December 2020.
