Superior Aggregates Corp. has received $1 million from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund to bring commercial shipping back to Michipicoten Harbour near Wawa, a Lake Superior port that has sat unused by vessels since the late 1990s.
According to a provincial news release, the funding will go toward repairs, structural upgrades and new equipment needed to reopen the harbour for marine traffic. The upgrades are expected to give Superior Aggregates access to markets in southern Ontario, the U.S. Midwest and Europe by way of the Great Lakes shipping network.
The province said the project is designed as a shared-use model, meaning other regional industries — including forestry and mining producers in the area — would also be able to benefit from restored access to the harbour. The release stated the project will create “good-paying jobs,” though it did not specify how many positions would be involved.
Company Cites Rising Transport Costs
Mark Rainone, general manager of Superior Aggregates, said the investment addresses mounting pressures in the freight industry. He pointed to rising transportation costs and a shortage of long-haul truck drivers as reasons why restoring marine shipping capacity at Michipicoten Harbour has become important for the company’s operations.
Rainone said returning to waterborne freight, once the primary way goods moved through the region, would help secure the long-term sustainability of the business and strengthen its position in both Canadian and international markets.
Provincial and Local Support
Northern Economic Development Minister George Pirie said the funding is meant to revitalize an underused port, expand existing regional businesses and improve access to new and existing markets. He added that the project reinforces northern Ontario’s role as a gateway for provincial, interprovincial and international trade.
Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Bill Rosenberg said the funding is intended to ensure the harbour remains viable for decades, providing a safe docking point for maritime transportation on Lake Superior.
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