Windsor port shifting transport to rail and water with help of federal funding

An infrastructure investment from the federal government announced Friday aims to make transporting cargo more efficient by using railand waterways rather than roads.

Minister of Transport Omar Alghabraannounced the $12.5 million in federal funding going toward the $27-million project.

"We all already knew that Windsor was at the nexus of one of the most if not the most important trade corridor for Canada, for Canadians," Alghabra said.

"And what we're doing now is we're building on that strategic advantage that Windsor has."

The Port of Windsor will put in about $3.6million and Essex Terminal Railway/Mortermwill contribute nearly $10.9million.

A new warehouse will be built as part of the project, as well as an expansion of the shore wall at the port and a new berth for ships.

The aim is to allow more shipping from Montreal to Windsor over the water.

"[The ship berth will] provide opportunities for us to build capacity on that side as well as new warehousing, which will allow us to perform our transload activities that currently take place in one of our current warehouses," saidTony De Thomasis, president and CEO with Essex Terminal Railway/Morterm.

"So we'll have a dedicated warehouse to transload, which will allow greater efficiencies and capacity and greater volumes of steel to move through."

Transload is a term for the process of moving goods from mode of transportation to another on the way to its final destination.

Steve Salmons, president and CEO of the Windsor Port Authority, noted more than onemillion containers come into Ontario by truck and rail each year.

"Many people in this region arebringing in containers, you know through Montrealby truck or rail or they're shipping them out by truck and rail because they don't have a local option," he said.

"With this announcement today, I think we're going to spark a fuse of excitement to say wait, wait, wait, we can do it locally."

'Pulling all the pieces together'

A new cargo dock could also be built in future, which could be used for different purposes.

With the Gordie Howe International Bridge opening in the next few years, Windsor-Tecumseh MP IrekKusmierczyksaid this announcement marks another commitment to the city and region.

"You're seeing these major investments that are coming that are really pulling all the pieces together here to make Windsor really the centre in terms of economic activity here in the Great Lakes region," he said.

"Transportation is absolutely critical to that. It's one thing to build it, but you got to move it."

In addition to easing congestion on roadways in the area especially Highway 401 the shift to using trains will also reduce pollution, a government news release said.

"These improvements will prevent shoreline erosion and reduce the risk of flooding due to rising lake water levels caused by climate change," the release said.

Construction is scheduled to begin in 2024 and between 20 and 40 jobs are expected to be created.