JOHNSTOWN – The federal government is putting $4.8 million into the Port of Johnstown to alleviate lags and bottlenecks at the Eastern Ontario shipping hub.
Transport Minister Marc Garneau was at the port this afternoon (Tuesday) to announce the money from the National Trade Corridors Fund. The Township of Edwardsburgh Cardinal, which owns and operates the port, will match that money under the expansion project.
Garneau was joined by Leeds-Grenville Conservative MP Michael Barrett, Glengarry-Prescott-Russell Liberal MP Francis Drouin and Mayor Pat Sayeau.
The plan is to change the loading spouts to modern equipment for today’s ships, which the port estimates will increase loading efficiency by 60 per cent and storage by 10 per cent.
It’s expected to also improve shipping wait times and reduce congestion at the County Road 2 facility.
The Port of Johnstown handles product from 1,600 farms and exports have grown more than 150 per cent since 2011.