Westport Modernization Project Gets Underway

The Port of Hamilton has received $17.7 million in federal government funding to modernize port infrastructure. Transport Minister Marc Garneau visited Hamilton to announce the investment in the Port of Hamilton from the National Trade Corridor Fund (NTCF), which will be matched by HPA, in support of the Port’s $35.5 million Westport Modernization Project.

The project will see port lands used more efficiently, and reconfigured to create new employment land development parcels. New transportation infrastructure will improve efficiency and fluidity for port users. Perimeter areas will add landscaping to improve port-city interface.

HPA’s plan for Westport is to create a multi-modal hub. Currently not all areas of the Westport zone are accessible by rail from other areas of the port. The improvements will also help address the challenge that the port has been facing in recent years of not having enough development-ready parcels of land to meet the demand from potential port users.

“This project is important because the Port of Hamilton is virtually out of room to grow, yet has unmet demand from users who want to invest in trade-oriented business in Ontario,” said Ian Hamilton, President and CEO of HPA. “Improvements to the Westport area will optimize the port’s current footprint, create new development parcels, and help Canadian companies get their goods to global markets.”

About Westport

Westport is a 115-hectare area located west of the Port of Hamilton. Among the oldest industrial employment areas in the City of Hamilton, the Port’s landholdings spanning Piers 10-15 were assembled piece by piece over many decades. This result is a collection of uses that are not optimized, with insufficient modal connections, and infrastructure in some cases that exceeds 100 years old.

About the Modernization Plan

Marine infrastructure: New dockwall at Pier 12, one of the port’s busiest piers.

Rail infrastructure: Upgrades to the existing Westport rail network to provide more cargo handling capacity, and rail service to more individual development parcels. Better rail connectivity will offer all the tenants at Westport direct access to more than one Class-1 rail provider.

Roadways & utilities: Improved internal roadways and enhancements to a new container depot will facilitate the internal movement of truck traffic on-port. Utilities and servicing will make Westport a fully networked industrial zone, and development ready.

Warehousing & storage: New indoor and outdoor storage spaces will allow for more efficient storage and handling of cargo. The reconfiguration, including demolition of portions of Shed 11 adjacent to Hillyard St. will be one of the first elements to get underway.

Project Timeline: Primary project investments begin in 2019. The project will be completed by December 2020.

Legal Counsel

HOPA Ports is seeking a highly motivated individual for the position of Legal Counsel to help guide the sustainable growth of Ontario’s largest port authority.

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