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Grain Dust Management

Background

The Port of Hamilton is the largest export gateway for Ontario-grown grain in the province. Port terminals provide an essential service to agricultural producers. They handle corn, wheat, canola seed and soybeans grown on Ontario farms. Ontario farmers rely on the Port of Hamilton to get their product to market. Product is brought to port by truck or railcar, and then transloaded to storage silos, and aboard vessels for export. Some product is used for domestic food products; soybeans and canola seed may be processed to produce edible oils and animal feedstock. Wheat will be milled to provide flour to Ontario bakeries.

Grain terminals at the Port of Hamilton

The Port of Hamilton is home to three grain export terminals and one of Ontario’s largest oilseed (soybeans and canola) processing facilities, as well as Canada’s newest flour mill:
  • Parrish & Heimbecker – terminal and flour mill
  • Richardson International
  • G3 Canada Ltd.
  • Bunge Canada
grain terminals map hamilton

Grain handling facilities at the Port of Hamilton

Grain Handling: How it Works

Grain arrives at port terminals by truck or railcar.

Grain is sampled from inside the truck using a hydraulic probe and transported through a vacuum tube to the on-site testing facility.

When the grain is delivered to port tenant terminals, the grain in the truck is sampled, and that sample is analyzed for a number of quality specifications according to Canadian Grain Commission standards. These quality specifications include moisture content, protein content, product weight and general kernel maturity. 

If the grain meets quality standards, the truck proceeds to an in-ground collection pit, where it is unloaded through the rear or hopper-bottom.

Conveyors move the grain to silos for storage…

…into a seed crush facility for on-site processing…

…Or directly on to a vessel, where grain fills ship holds one by one using a spout. Note the covered conveyer belt and ‘sock’ on the spout to minimize dust while the grain is moved. 

From here, Ontario-grown grain is exported to Europe and beyond; contributing to food products and meals on tables around the world.

Community Impact

HPA and terminal operators located at the port recognize that dust may occasionally arise from the grain-handling process. Operators are taking ongoing steps to minimize escaping dust. Proactive initiatives include:

  • Filling ship holds one at a time, keeping all others closed.
  • Placing the loading spout as deep into the hold as possible.
  • Not loading at times of high winds.
  • Enclosed conveyor systems.

If you have a noise, odour or dust complaint, please be sure to let us know as soon as possible, by calling:

  • HMO/Port Security 24 hrs.: 905.525.3412.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • The products handled by grain terminals at the Port of Hamilton are the same food products we find on our grocery store shelves and kitchen tables every day, including:
    • Wheat used in pasta and bread
    • Dry corn, like the corn meal used on the underside of pizza
    • Soy and canola, blended for use in cooking oils, including the type used in well-known Canadian-produced varieties of potato chips and doughnuts.
  • Agri-food represents $1 billion of economic activity in Hamilton.
  • Facilities like Parrish & Heimbecker’s new flour mill support local agri-food supply chains, keeping food processing and associated jobs in Canada.
  • The food sector employs 1 out of every 9 Ontarians. (Ontario Chamber of Commerce)
  • The Hamilton Air Monitoring Network (HAMN) operates a number of air quality monitoring stations in Hamilton’s industrial area – its website provides publicly-accessible real-time air quality data. http://www.hamnair.ca/

Download this page: 
pdf icon Responsible Grain Handling at the Port of Hamilton (PDF)

 Port Partner Profile: Richardson International

 

Proactive Disclosure

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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.