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HOPA Ports signs head lease with Max Aicher North America for industrial lands on Hamilton’s working waterfront

  • Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority completes head lease with Max Aicher North America
  • Agreement permits extensive investment in supply chain capacity with the development of 60-acre, multimodal parcel at Pier 18 on Hamilton Harbour
  • The site is suitable to be used for flexible storage of steel, forest products and manufacturing components, warehousing and rail transloading of materials for the construction and manufacturing sectors

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada – HOPA Ports and Max Aicher North America (MANA) are pleased to announce the completion of a head lease which will permit more extensive investment and development on MANA’s Hamilton bayfront property.

HOPA and MANA have been working together since 2020 on various industrial uses for a 60-acre parcel at Pier 18 on Hamilton Harbour. The site is located in the northeast corner of pier 18, within Hamilton’s Bayfront industrial area, and is served by marine, rail and road transportation. The property includes open space for outdoor storage, and more than eight acres of warehouse buildings.

HOPA has been deploying the space for a range of industrial projects, including commodity storage and logistics, as well as the assembly and staging of the Enwave deep-water cooling pipe.   

Under the new agreement, MANA continues to retain ownership of the property, while HOPA’s new head lease will enable the Port Authority, via its subsidiary, to expand the necessary long-term investments to attract more high-value industrial activity. Specific investments will be driven by user requirements, and HOPA sees the site’s multimodal assets as being key to its value. “Modern industrial users are looking for space with access to multiple modes of transportation, within the Greater Toronto-Hamilton market,” said Ian Hamilton, President & CEO of HOPA Ports. “It’s a magic combination that is extremely rare in southern Ontario, and we’re lucky to have it here in Hamilton, ready to go.”

HOPA Ports has an established track record of developing marine-served industrial spaces. It is a segment of the commercial-industrial real estate market where HOPA Ports offers a distinct skill-set. Over the past decade, HOPA Ports has attracted more than $350 million in investment in the ports of Hamilton and Oshawa.

Uses of the site include flexible storage of steel and manufacturing components, warehousing and rail transloading of materials for the construction and manufacturing sectors, value-add processing, and other logistics uses essential to a responsive industrial supply chain. “Further investment in this site can help provide the space that is needed to support modern manufacturing in Ontario,” said MANA CEO, Walter Sommerer. “Through our partnership with HOPA, MANA is reinforcing its commitment to Hamilton and the local economy.”

This alliance between MANA and HOPA complements MANA’s existing Hamilton operations, where the company produces specialized, high-strength reinforcement steel used in high-rise, commercial and industrial projects across North America. Among its high-profile projects is the new Gordie Howe bridge linking Windsor and Detroit. MANA has been named one of Hamilton’s 40 fastest-growing companies.

Get more details on this property here. Contact Jeremy Dunn [email protected] with leasing inquiries.

About Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority

As an integrated port network, the Hamilton Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA Ports) offers port and marine assets on the Great Lakes. We’re developing multimodal spaces to support Ontario’s industries and facilitate trade. By investing in high-quality infrastructure and prioritizing sustainability, we’re building prosperous working waterfronts in Ontario communities.

For more information, please contact:

Larissa Fenn
Vice President, Corporate Affairs
[email protected]
905-518-7632


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Renee Bulger, CPA, CGA

Vice President, Finance

Renee assumed the role of Vice President, Finance after having served as Director of Finance since 2023.

Renee joined the Hamilton Port Authority in 2006 as a General Accountant and was promoted to Controller in 2018. She was previously a member of the Board of Directors for the Hamilton Conservation Foundation from 2017 to 2020.

Renee received her Honours Bachelor of Commerce from Laurentian University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant.

Larissa Fenn

Vice President, Corporate Affairs

Larissa Fenn is Vice President, Corporate Affairs at HOPA Ports, leading a team responsible for communications and government relations, sustainability reporting, corporate governance and corporate culture.

Previous positions included communications and public policy roles at the Canadian Bankers Association, Credit Valley Conservation Authority, and the Regional Municipality of Halton.

Larissa holds a B.A.(Hons) in Political Science from Queen’s University. She holds the APR designation from the Canadian Public Relations Society, and completed the Senior Public Sector Leaders program at the University of Western Ontario, Ivey School of Business. Larissa has served as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Royal Botanical Gardens, and as a member of the Policy Council of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce.

Bill Fitzgerald

Vice President, Strategic Development

Bill assumed the role of Vice President, Strategic Development in 2024, after having served as HOPA’s Vice President, Operations since 2008.

Bill joined the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority in July 1995 as Project Engineer. He previously worked with the Regional Municipality of Ottawa’s Transportation Department, as well as for the Toronto Transit Commission and the City of Waterloo.

Bill received a Bachelor of Applied Science, civil engineering / water resources, in 1995 from the University of Waterloo and registered with the Professional Engineers of Ontario in 1997.

Jeremy Dunn

Vice President, Operations

Jeremy assumed the role of Vice President, Operations in 2024 after having served as HOPA’s Commercial Vice President since 2019. Prior to joining HOPA, Jeremy served in successive leadership roles at The Miller Group, one of Canada’s leading transportation construction and infrastructure maintenance companies. Jeremy has managed multiple business groups in the heavy construction, asphalt paving and aggregates sectors driving results through business restructuring, service improvement and strategic growth. In his most recent role, Jeremy served as General Manager of Miller Maintenance, responsible for managing and growing Miller’s highway maintenance business in Ontario.

Previous to The Miller Group, Jeremy held the position of Director of Operations for the Dunn Group of Companies.

Jeremy earned his Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) through Queen’s University. He also holds a Master’s Certificate in Project Management.

Janet Knight

Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

Chief Financial Officer for the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority since 2008, Janet joined the HPA in 1998 as Accounting Supervisor and subsequently served as Controller.

Prior to joining the HPA, Janet held the position of Financial Analyst with St. Joseph’s Hospital, as well as various positions, including Marketing Communications/Research Lead with Zeneca Agro. Janet graduated from McMaster University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Commerce. She attained the professional designation of Certified Management Accountant in 1992.

Ian Hamilton

President & CEO

Ian Hamilton is President & CEO of HOPA Ports (Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority). He assumed this role in 2017, after serving as the Port Authority’s Vice President of Business Development and Real Estate since 2008. Ian has been instrumental in developing working waterfronts in Hamilton, Oshawa, and Niagara by attracting new business and private investment, and creating an integrated marine network across Southern Ontario.

Ian possesses more than 25 years of experience in international transportation and logistics in Europe and North America, and has held progressively senior positions in the liner shipping industry, including Transatlantic Trade Director (Europe) for CP Ships and Business Development Manager for Hapag-Lloyd. Ian is Chairperson of the Association of Canadian Port Authorities, and holds positions on various other boards, including: the Chamber of Marine Commerce, the Hamilton Club, and Brigs Youth Sail Training.

Ian holds an MBA from Aston University (UK) and a BSc in business administration and economics from the College of Charleston, South Carolina.