OTTAWA — The federal government has announced plans to merge the Oshawa and Hamilton port authorities.
Announcing the initiative on Feb. 5, Minister of Transport Marc Garneau said in a statement, “Combining both port authorities together would allow the new entity to support growth and enhance the southern Ontario region’s connectivity to global markets. The Government of Canada is committed to the long-term sustainability of port operations in the region.”
A formal certificate of intent to amalgamate was to be published in the Canada Gazette on Feb. 9, marking the beginning of a 30-day consultation period. Interested parties will have until March 11 to submit comments.
Last fall the Hamilton Port Authority launched a new project, the $36-million Westport Modernization Project, after it received $17 million in funding from the federal government under the National Trade Corridors Fund.
The project is targeting improvements in marine infrastructure, storage and warehousing capacity, rail infrastructure and roadways and utilities as part of a plan to develop new multi-modal site capacity, enabling the port authority to attract new private sector investors to the site, the port authority has said.
The Oshawa Port Authority was established in 2012 and the Hamilton Port Authority in 2001.
The Oshawa and Hamilton port authorities carry similar commodities including steel, project cargo and bulk cargo such as fertilizers, asphalt and grain.
The release said the amalgamation is being undertaken as part of its Transportation 2030 plan, which has a goal of building “marine corridors that are competitive, safe and environmentally sustainable.”
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