Trade corridor partnership connecting northern and southern Ontario announced

Rolled coils of steel sit in the yard at Algoma Steel Inc., the second largest steel producer in Canada, along the St. Marys River in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Thursday, July 24, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nick Iwanyshyn

SAULT STE. MARIE — Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., and the Hamilton Oshawa Port Authority have signed a partnership to develop a trade corridor connecting northern and southern Ontario.

The corridor is expected to include integrated rail, highway, and marine links with extended-season service.

The partners say the plan will be anchored by a newly developed port in Sault Ste. Marie.

As part of this plan, they are exploring the Algoma Steel site as a potential host location for the port facilities.

Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Matthew Shoemaker says a new port in the Sault will create a national asset.

Shoemaker called it a strategic investment in Canada’s supply chain resilience and industrial capacity.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2025.