Canadian Design Construction News staff writer
SAULT STE. MARIE – The City of Sault Ste. Marie and the Hamilton Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA Ports) are partnering to develop a new multimodal port and trade corridor that will connect Northern Ontario with Southern Ontario and international export markets, Mayor Matthew Shoemaker announced on Wednesday.
Anchored by a proposed port in Sault Ste. Marie, the Sault to the South Trade Corridor aims to strengthen Canada’s internal trade and export networks, while supporting growth in sectors including mining, forestry, steel, advanced manufacturing and agriculture.
Next steps include stakeholder engagement at provincial, federal and Indigenous levels, infrastructure analysis, and market outreach in key sectors. The city and HOPA Ports will continue collaborating to advance the business plan and marine/rail infrastructure strategy.
“Sault Ste. Marie’s geographic location at the heart of the Great Lakes positions it as a powerful logistics gateway for North America,” Shoemaker said. “A new port in the Sault will transform an underused advantage into a national asset. This initiative is more than infrastructure; it’s a strategic investment in Canada’s supply chain resilience and industrial capacity. It will serve as a long-term economic engine for Ontario and Canada.”
The corridor will integrate marine, rail and highway infrastructure to provide year-round, multimodal connectivity. It aligns with federal and provincial strategies, including the Canada Strong plan, the Growth Plan for Northern Ontario and Ontario’s Critical Mineral Strategy.
“Sault Ste. Marie is a natural fit as a multimodal hub within the Great Lakes corridor,” said Ian Hamilton, president and CEO of HOPA Ports. “Its geographic position connects seamlessly to industrial bases like Windsor, Port Colborne, Hamilton and Montreal, forming powerful links between Northern Ontario’s resource base and Canada’s largest industrial and consumer markets.”
The partners are considering the Algoma Steel site as a potential location for the port. The site offers industrial land, deepwater access and existing infrastructure that could support co-located economic activities, including steelmaking, logistics, energy and advanced manufacturing.
“Having Algoma Steel’s site under consideration as a port location positions us as a central player in regional economic diversification, beyond steelmaking,” said Michael Garcia, CEO of Algoma Steel. “It underscores our role as an anchor in nation-building infrastructure and highlights Sault Ste. Marie’s importance as a gateway for Canadian industry.”
The project is expected to create jobs in construction, marine operations, industrial manufacturing, warehousing and logistics, and foster academic-industry collaboration with Sault College and Algoma University.
