JOHNSTOWN, Ontario: Port of Johnstown officials have revealed that its new wharf and infrastructure renewal project, valued at nearly $35M, is already attracting new business opportunities that could benefit Eastern Ontario’s economy.
The revitalization of the Port of Johnstown was made possible by investments of up to $11, 575,412 from each the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario and the Township of Edwardsburg Cardinal through the Building Canada Fund – Communities Component.
The new marine terminal allows the multi-modal port situated on the St. Lawrence Seaway to handle double the number of ships simultaneously and have an additional 10 acres of lay down space to accommodate different types of cargo. The port is already fielding inquiries for the transportation of cargoes ranging from over-sized machinery to fertilizer and construction-related materials.
The new wharf also ensures that Ontario’s salt mines can continue to transport more than 500,000 metric tons of salt by ship to the port each year. This salt is crucial for de-icing roads in cities and towns in Ontario and Quebec, including Kingston, Ottawa and Cornwall.
In 2008, it was identified that the marine infrastructure at the Port of Johnstown was in such poor condition that the facility might have to close, potentially leading to thousands of extra trucks on highway 401 to transport salt cargoes.
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