Minister of transport Marc Garneau announced an investment of $4.8 million in Eastern Ontario infrastructure on August 6, that will help move Canadian goods to international markets.
“We are supporting projects to efficiently move goods to market and people to their destinations, stimulate economic growth, create quality middle-class jobs, and ensure that Canada’s transportation networks remain competitive and efficient,” Garneau said.
The project will improve efficiency at the Port of Johnstown at the west bank of St. Lawrence Seaway by replacing nine grain loading spouts with four newer and more efficient spouts, which will allow larger vessels to be loaded more quickly. A new grain bin will also be added to allow for more storage capacity at the port.
The Port of Johnstown is an important export hub for Canada’s agricultural producers. The port has seen a 150 per cent increase of exports through the area since 2011, as a result of growing demand for Canadian corn, wheat, and soybeans.
“The Port of Johnstown is a strategic economic gateway and ensuring that we address transportation bottlenecks and develop strategies to minimize congestion is vital to fostering long-term prosperity in our community,” said Francis Drouin, MP for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell.
The project is through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, which will provide $180 billion over 12 years in green and social infrastructure, trade and transportation, public transit projects, and Canada’s rural and northern communities.
100 construction jobs are expected to be created during the project.