Pier 10 Export Expansion Project

Project Overview

In 2019, the Port of Hamilton received a $5.5 million investment for a Pier 10 Export Expansion from the National Trade Corridors Fund (NTCF) on behalf of Transport Canada. The federal funding contributes to a $16 million overall expansion project managed by the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA).

This investment will facilitate Pier 10 becoming a dedicated agri-food cluster on the port lands, creating more efficient marine infrastructure to support trade flow and building on several capital investments made by the Port Authority and its food-sector tenants over the past decade.

The Pier 10 Export Expansion will involve the relocation of Soletanche Bachy Canada, formerly Bermingham Foundations (a pile driving manufacturer) off of the pier to make room for agri-food expansion on site, and two distinct construction projects. The first construction project will be rebuilding Pier 10’s east dock wall (which was originally constructed in the early 1900s) and dredging the Wellington slip alongside it to accommodate berthing seaway vessels. The second project will be the construction of a covered storage facility to house raw sugar, grains and other dry bulk products, reducing truck trips from offsite locations. Moving Soletanche Bachy’s operation to elsewhere on the Port will also reduce the noise levels (involved in the pile-driving manufacturing process) for nearby residents in the North End.

Canadian grain company, Parrish & Heimbecker’s current expansion of its Hamilton milling facility (phase I operations began in 2017) will make P&H the single largest user of Ontario wheat. As one of the busiest exporters on the Port, the new marine infrastructure and berthage space will decrease vessel wait time (which are costly to ship operators), and make it easier for P&H to move more grain by ship.

Sucro Sourcing recently completed a granular sugar refinery and crystallization tower, adding to the liquid sugar refinery which has been in place since 2014, marking the first successful sugar production facility built in Canada since 1958, and providing a welcome competitor in the Canadian refined sugar market. Moving sugar unloading and storage to Pier 10 will also enable Sucro Sourcing to keep more product at their facility, taking thousands of trucks off of the road and reducing truck traffic on nearby residential streets.

About the Pier 10 Export Expansion Plan

With the support of the NTCF, HOPA will expand the export potential for current and future agri-food businesses at the Port of Hamilton on Pier 10. This plan includes two key construction elements:

  1. Marine infrastructure: The reconstruction of the east dock wall at Pier 10, and dredging of the Wellington slip alongside it.
  2. Storage capacity: Laying a new concrete foundation and constructing a storage facility for bulk sugar and grain.

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.

Janet Knight

Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

Chief Financial Officer for the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority since 2008, Janet joined the HPA in 1998 as Accounting Supervisor and subsequently served as Controller.

Prior to joining the HPA, Janet held the position of Financial Analyst with St. Joseph’s Hospital, as well as various positions, including Marketing Communications/Research Lead with Zeneca Agro. Janet graduated from McMaster University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Commerce. She attained the professional designation of Certified Management Accountant in 1992.

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.