Ontario Grain Farmer October 2022

The new system will improve the interaction between the conveyor and the vessel, shortening the entire loading process. "We are happy that the issue of not being able to load to capacity will be overcome," she says. HOPA expects the new port facilities to take about 12,000 trips off the 401 Highway each year, which is good news for anyone who regularly uses the notoriously busy highway. Additionally, it will be able to handle up to 300,000 MT each year once complete. According to HOPA research, production, yields and global demand are all expected to rise, making the project even more timely. "Location-wise, Oshawa is a really key hub for grain exports in the Greater TorontoHamilton Area," says Fenn. "It will enable producers potentially to make more than one drop-off a day and help to increase the overall grain exports from Ontario. We expect to serve farmers handling corn, wheat, and soybeans in about a 100kilometre radius, so certainly Durham farmers and beyond." Grain Farmers of Ontario reports that producers within the Port of Oshawa's catchment area grew over 1.1 million metric tonnes of corn, over 450,000 metric tonnes of soybeans, and over 320,000 metric tonnes of wheat in 2021. A WELCOME INVESTMENT Dana Dickerson, manager of market development at Grain Farmers of Ontario, welcomes the investment. "We really welcome seeing infrastructure upgrades, seeing wait times reduced for farmers, and seeing more marketing options available for farmers to increase the diversification of the opportunities for them to sell their grains," she says. "It's really good to see the federal government investing in Ontario, in our infrastructure," she adds. "With everything that's going on in the world right now, it's really important that trade is moving fluidly and that we can get our exports in the water and move more grain to the places that need it." The investment is the first since the amalgamation of the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority. Fenn says it highlights the value of an integrated port network and seeing the GTHA as an economic region considered as a whole. "I think it's just an illustration of that integrated port network model working really well, as it's supposed to," she says. Pre-construction design work for the Port of Oshawa project is underway; construction should begin this fall. HOPA expects the project completion in three to four years. l ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER 33 OCTOBER 2022 The Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority expects the new port facilities to take about 12,000 trips off the 401 Highway each year, which is good news for anyone who regularly uses the notoriously busy highway. An Expert Team of Agronomic Advisors, Built to Support Soybean Producers Talk to a Representative Today Cassidy Reaney 613 894-5338 Andrew Hodges 819 208-0787 Jovan Dozet 437 286-7808

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTQzODE4