Port of Toronto moves record amount of cargo in 2022

Ontario Construction News staff writer

The Port of Toronto moved more than 2.3 million metric tonnes of cargo in 2022, its highest recorded level in 18 years.

The number of cargo ships arriving was consistent throughout 2022, with 191 ships delivering 717,855 metric tonnes of cement, 106,533 metric tonnes of aggregate, and about 160,000 metric tonnes of steel products including coil, pipe, and rebar, which transited through the port to construction sites throughout the Greater Toronto Area.

PortsToronto and the City of Toronto launched a major rehabilitation program last year, to restore and revitalize the Ship Channel Lift Bridge, a vital piece of infrastructure supporting this supply chain.

This project will modernize three key components of this ageing infrastructure, specifically:

  • Rehabilitation of the bridge north and south roadway approach spans
  • Restoration of the Bascule lift bridge structure
  • Replacement of end of life mechanical and electrical lift systems

“The Port of Toronto is a unique asset in the heart of Canada’s largest city and imports millions of tonnes of goods each year, from the cement needed for Toronto’s booming construction industry, to the sugar we put in our morning coffee,” said RJ Steenstra, president and CEO of PortsToronto. “The Port of Toronto will continue to support our city’s key economic sectors for years to come as a favourite port of call among the growing number of Great Lakes cruising enthusiasts, and home to production studios that create some of our favourite television and film moments.”

toronto portIncreased import levels also had a positive impact on the environment with 2.3 million metric tonnes of cargo delivered by ship last year took approximately 57,000, 40-tonne trucks off Toronto’s congested roads and highways.

Through its mixed-use facilities, the Port also supports Toronto’s $2 billion film industry by providing a production hub for industry players such as Cinespace and Netflix. In 2022, PortsToronto and Cinespace Studios announced plans to develop a new studio facility in the Port of Toronto’s Marine Terminal 52 that will support Toronto’s vibrant film and television industry for years to come.

Since 1793, the Port of Toronto has served as Toronto’s gateway to the St. Lawrence Seaway and to marine ports around the world. Serving primarily as a bulk cargo destination, the port receives goods from countries as far away as Germany, South Korea, China, Brazil, Australia, South America and the United States.

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