The federal government is aiming to improve Canada’s “climate competitiveness” through investments into green shipping corridors and cleaner ports.
In this vein, Minister of Transport Steven MacKinnon recently unveiled $6.4 million earmarked for R.W. Tomlinson’s Ontario Trap Rock facility.
The funding, supplied under the Green Shipping Corridor Program, is for R.W. Tomlinson’s Trap Rock Electrification of Extended Ship Loading System project in Bruce Mines.
A facility for Canada’s marine sector, Ontario Trap Rock produces high-quality trap rock aggregates that are fundamental for construction and infrastructure projects throughout the Great Lakes region and northern Ontario.
The project orients around adoption of an electric-powered extended ship loading system to replace diesel-powered haul trucks that currently transport aggregates 2.7 km to Ontario Trap Rock’s commercial dock.
The electrified system is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also reducing truck traffic crossing Highway 17.
“Canada’s supply chains must be both competitive and sustainable,” says MacKinnon. “Investments like this one are helping build the next generation of green shipping corridors across the Great Lakes, reducing emissions while ensuring the materials that build our communities move efficiently and reliably.”
R.W. Tomlinson is a “proudly Canadian-owned, family-run company that has operated for more than 70 years,” according to chief executive officer Ron Tomlinson.
The company “is committed to investing in innovative and sustainable solutions for the future,” he says.
“This project at Ontario Trap Rock will help reduce emissions, improve efficiency, and strengthen the movement of essential construction materials throughout the Great Lakes region,” the CEO stated. “We are proud to partner with the Government of Canada to support cleaner transportation and continued economic opportunities.”
The Green Shipping Corridor Program provides funding for projects that contribute to the establishment of green shipping corridors and the decarbonization of Canada’s marine sector.