HOPA Ports and BMI Group Renew Partnership After Award-Winning 600-Acre Brownfield Transformation, Driving Industrial Growth in Ontario

Partnership Renewal Fuels New Opportunities for Supply Chain Resilience, Tenant Innovation, and Economic Growth

  • HOPA Ports and BMI Group have revitalized over 600 acres in Niagara, creating a nationally recognized industrial hub.
  • Bioveld Niagara hosts scale-ups like CHAR Tech and Destiny Copper, driving global clean-tech innovation.
  • Direct access to marine, rail, and highway networks, plus 500,000 sq. ft. of new manufacturing space, strengthens Ontario’s industry.
  • BMI–HOPA’s collaborative approach, including Indigenous partners, boosts Canada’s industrial and economic capacity.

Niagara Region, ON — HOPA Ports and The BMI Group have renewed their strategic partnership, building on a proven model that has transformed one of Ontario’s largest brownfield sites into a nationally recognized industrial hub.

Launched in 2019 under the Niagara Ports banner, The BMI Group transformed the former Norampac paper mill in Thorold, Ontario into the Bioveld Niagara Multimodal Hub — a 600+ acre, multimodal-served industrial complex now home to more than 30 tenants in manufacturing, clean energy, and logistics. With HOPA providing on-site property management, development services, and active tenant recruitment, the once-idle site is now a catalyst for job creation, innovation, and resilient supply chains, earning national recognition for environmental remediation and adaptive reuse.

“The success of our first project exceeded expectations,” said Ian Hamilton, President & CEO of HOPA Ports. “We knew there was strong market demand for multimodal-served industrial space — and today, Bioveld Niagara stands as proof that vision, speed, and strategic partnerships can deliver transformative results.”

Scaling a Winning Model

BMI Group’s ready-stating and re-futuring approach has driven the development of more than 25 industrial and commercial sites in Ontario, Quebec, and Michigan — from Red Rock and Fort Frances to Baie Comeau and Port Huron. Specializing in the revitalization of legacy industrial lands, BMI transforms underutilized properties into high-value, modern industrial assets.

“We’ve seen the economic ripple effect in Niagara, and know how to put this model to work,” said Paul Veldman, CEO of BMI Group. “With the right partners, we can deliver wherever communities are ready to reimagine their industrial future to create jobs, attract investment, and build stronger supply chains.”

Strategic Assets for Industry and Tenant Growth

HOPA Ports brings deep expertise in high-value industrial cluster development, connecting tenants to Ontario’s integrated marine, rail, and highway network. At Bioveld Niagara, tenants benefit from:

  • Direct water access to the Welland Canal
  • Active rail service for efficient freight movement
  • High-capacity hydroelectric power ideal for energy-intensive manufacturing
  • Tailored tenant buildouts enabling infrastructure efficiencies

In 2021, the Hub expanded with the acquisition of an adjacent 500,000 sq. ft. former automotive facility, unlocking new space for high-value manufacturing tenants.

In parallel, The BMI Group has invested in scaling the success of innovative tenants. These include CHAR Tech, a rapidly scaling cleantech company converting solid organic residues into renewable energy and biocarbon products, and Destiny Copper, a cleantech firm specializing in sustainable copper recovery from industrial waste streams and mine tailings. These scale-ups represent the next generation of industrial innovation, leveraging Bioveld’s infrastructure, connectivity, and collaborative ecosystem to advance clean technologies with global potential.

A Partnership Built for National Impact

With a growing roster of industrial, civic, and Indigenous partners, the BMI–HOPA partnership demonstrates the power of collaboration to unlock Canada’s industrial potential. As Canada works to rapidly strengthen its domestic industrial capacity, BMI–HOPA is delivering measurable value for businesses, communities, and the national economy.

About HOPA Ports

As an integrated port network, the Hamilton Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA) offers port and marine assets in Hamilton, Oshawa, and Niagara to support Ontario industries and facilitate trade. By investing in high-quality infrastructure and prioritizing sustainability, HOPA helps build prosperous working waterfronts in Ontario communities. Overseeing more than 1,400 acres and more than 180 tenant companies, 40,000 Ontario jobs are connected to the cargo that passes through HOPA’s integrated ports.

About the BMI Group

The BMI Group specializes in “ready-stating and re-futuring” strategic properties for high-impact, multi-use developments across industrial, commercial, residential, and hospitality sectors. With a focus on enhancing social and economic potential through multi-sector collaboration, BMI delivers new opportunities for investment, innovation, and community revitalization.

For more information, please visit: www.thebmigroup.ca

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For more information, please contact:

Larissa Fenn
Vice President, Corporate Affairs, HOPA Ports
[email protected]

Olga Patronik
Executive Project Coordinator, BMI
[email protected]

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Renee Bulger, CPA, CGA

Vice President, Finance

Renee assumed the role of Vice President, Finance after having served as Director of Finance since 2023.

Renee joined the Hamilton Port Authority in 2006 as a General Accountant and was promoted to Controller in 2018. She was previously a member of the Board of Directors for the Hamilton Conservation Foundation from 2017 to 2020.

Renee received her Honours Bachelor of Commerce from Laurentian University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant.

Larissa Fenn

Vice President, Corporate Affairs

Larissa Fenn is Vice President, Corporate Affairs at HOPA Ports, leading a team responsible for communications and government relations, sustainability reporting, corporate governance and corporate culture.

Previous positions included communications and public policy roles at the Canadian Bankers Association, Credit Valley Conservation Authority, and the Regional Municipality of Halton.

Larissa holds a B.A.(Hons) in Political Science from Queen’s University. She holds the APR designation from the Canadian Public Relations Society, and completed the Senior Public Sector Leaders program at the University of Western Ontario, Ivey School of Business. Larissa has served as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Royal Botanical Gardens, and as a member of the Policy Council of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce.

Bill Fitzgerald

Vice President, Strategic Development

Bill assumed the role of Vice President, Strategic Development in 2024, after having served as HOPA’s Vice President, Operations since 2008.

Bill joined the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority in July 1995 as Project Engineer. He previously worked with the Regional Municipality of Ottawa’s Transportation Department, as well as for the Toronto Transit Commission and the City of Waterloo.

Bill received a Bachelor of Applied Science, civil engineering / water resources, in 1995 from the University of Waterloo and registered with the Professional Engineers of Ontario in 1997.

Jeremy Dunn

Vice President, Operations

Jeremy assumed the role of Vice President, Operations in 2024 after having served as HOPA’s Commercial Vice President since 2019. Prior to joining HOPA, Jeremy served in successive leadership roles at The Miller Group, one of Canada’s leading transportation construction and infrastructure maintenance companies. Jeremy has managed multiple business groups in the heavy construction, asphalt paving and aggregates sectors driving results through business restructuring, service improvement and strategic growth. In his most recent role, Jeremy served as General Manager of Miller Maintenance, responsible for managing and growing Miller’s highway maintenance business in Ontario.

Previous to The Miller Group, Jeremy held the position of Director of Operations for the Dunn Group of Companies.

Jeremy earned his Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) through Queen’s University. He also holds a Master’s Certificate in Project Management.

Ian Hamilton

President & CEO

Ian Hamilton is President & CEO of HOPA Ports (Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority). He assumed this role in 2017, after serving as the Port Authority’s Vice President of Business Development and Real Estate since 2008. Ian has been instrumental in developing working waterfronts in Hamilton, Oshawa, and Niagara by attracting new business and private investment, and creating an integrated marine network across Southern Ontario.

Ian possesses more than 25 years of experience in international transportation and logistics in Europe and North America, and has held progressively senior positions in the liner shipping industry, including Transatlantic Trade Director (Europe) for CP Ships and Business Development Manager for Hapag-Lloyd. Ian is Chairperson of the Association of Canadian Port Authorities, and holds positions on various other boards, including: the Chamber of Marine Commerce, the Hamilton Club, and Brigs Youth Sail Training.

Ian holds an MBA from Aston University (UK) and a BSc in business administration and economics from the College of Charleston, South Carolina.