In early 2021, an exciting new project came to market in Ontario’s Niagara Region. The Thorold Multimodal Hub comprises space owned by the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA Ports), as well as a 155-acre former paper mill; the latter is a massive facility purchased recently by Bioveld Canada Inc.. Bioveld specializes in the productive repurposing of brownfield and industrial sites.
The Thorold Multimodal Hub is unique to Niagara. It features marine, rail and highway access, as well as indoor warehouse and outdoor storage space, which can be configured to a wide variety of industrial, cargo handling and ancillary operations. Leases available to Hub tenants include indoor, outdoor, turnkey and develop-to-suit. Companies locating here benefit from the proximity to the U.S. border, the availability of marine and rail, and strategic location in the Niagara-Hamilton-Toronto trade corridor.
The Thorold Hub is immediately adjacent to the Welland Canal, which is a key part of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system. As business at the Hub grows, it will leverage the capacity available in this highly reliable and efficient transportation system to move more cargo by water, aligned with the goals of the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation.
“Niagara has a unique combination of multimodal transportation infrastructure, development-ready industrial land and a geographic position as a gateway to Ontario,” said HOPA Ports’ President & CEO Ian Hamilton. “We’re excited to take advantage of those opportunities to help strengthen the economy and make it easier to move goods from Niagara to markets all around the world.”
This investment in Niagara by Bioveld Canada and HOPA Ports is a step towards a more efficient and integrated network of marine facilities in Ontario. “As Ontario positions itself for an economic recovery, and as the province’s population and congestion issues grow, it just makes sense for us to be making better use of Ontario’s industrial and multimodal transportation capacity,” said Hamilton. “With all of its advantages, Niagara is a natural place to invest.” HOPA Ports already operates integrated port facilities in Hamilton and Oshawa, and is very optimistic about the contribution to economic development and sustainable operation that the Thorold Multimodal Hub can make.
Since its introduction, The Hub has welcomed new tenants including Tora Inc. and Canadian Maritime Engineering (CME).
Tora Inc. is a St. Catharines-based company offering warehousing, sorting, assembly and other services for domestic and international manufacturers, occupying 60,000 sq.ft. of warehouse space within The Hub. “This expansion is an important next step in our business growth,” said Scott DeMont General Manager & Partner with Tora Inc. “From this new facility we are better able to provide our growing customer base with a wider range of services.”
From its new location, Tora will be able to connect with its customers in North America or globally. With its variety of service offerings, Tora plays an essential role in Ontario’s manufacturing supply chain, which makes it an excellent fit within the HOPA Ports network.
CME, a division of Russell Industries Corp., is a leading marine-industrial company that offers machining, mechanical, welding, fabrication and specialty coatings to customers in a wide variety of sectors, including maritime, oil & gas, defence and power generation.
CME will occupy more than 18,000 sq. ft. of space within the Thorold Multimodal Hub, with options to expand as the business develops.
CME plans on completing dock side repairs from this location, as well as expanding their capabilities and resources to serve marine, power generation, mining, and industrial community in Central Canada.