Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Ontario government is providing $1 million through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) to help Superior Aggregates Corporation repair, modernize and reactivate underused port infrastructure at Michipicoten Harbour near Wawa.
Funding will support structural repairs, upgrades and the purchase of equipment needed to reopen the harbour to commercial shipping. The harbour has not been used for shipping since the late 1990s.
Superior Aggregates plans to use the facility to access markets in Central and Eastern Canada through the St. Lawrence Seaway, reducing reliance on road transportation and expanding the company’s shipping options.
The harbour is also expected to operate under a shared-use model that could provide access to other regional producers, including companies in the forestry and mining sectors.
“Our government is supporting access to cost-efficient marine transportation for resource and industrial operations located in northern Ontario,” said Northern Economic Development and Growth Minister George Pirie. “We are helping revitalize this underused port, expand existing businesses, improve access to new and existing markets and reinforce northern Ontario’s role as a competitive gateway for provincial, interprovincial and international trade.”
Rising transportation costs and a shortage of long-haul drivers have increased the importance of marine freight.
“Revitalizing our marine transport capabilities at Michipicoten Harbor is vital,” Rainone said. “To navigate these broader industry challenges and remain globally competitive, strategic investment in vessel logistics is essential,” said Superior Aggregates general manager Mark Rainone.
The company’s volume and workforce have both doubled, creating a need for additional capacity.
Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Bill Rosenberg said the repairs and upgrades will help extend the working life of the harbour and provide a maritime transportation route on Lake Superior.
The project builds on previous provincial funding for port infrastructure on Lake Superior. The government says those investments are intended to strengthen east-west trade links and provide Ontario producers with more options for reaching export markets.
Currently, the focus for NOHFC funding includes protecting northern industries and jobs, responding to U.S. tariffs and other trade disruptions, and creating new economic opportunities.
Ontario has increased the NOHFC’s annual budget to $110 million.
Since June 2018, the NOHFC has invested more than $1 billion in more than 8,900 projects across northern Ontario, according to the province. Those projects have leveraged more than $3.4 billion in investment and created or sustained more than 13,850 jobs.
