The Thorold Multimodal Hub in Thorold South is doubling in size by adding the former Hayes Dana Plant to its footprint.
The BMI Group, through its subsidiary Bioveld Canada, will develop the 170-acre property to create room for industrial, manufacturing and logistics businesses to locate, grow, or build new facilities.
On Monday morning, representatives of the BMI Group and HOPA Ports, as well as some local politicians, came together at the former Hayes Dana plant to announce the expansion.
“The investments being made today will attract new businesses, create new jobs, as well as contribute to the prosperity and success not only in the City of Thorold but the entire Niagara region,” said Mayor Terry Ugulini, in a speech.
The Thorold Multimodal Hub was developed in partnership with HOPA Ports to bring together businesses that can benefit from the marine, rail, and highway connections, as well as the facility’s proximity to the US border.
“I think location is a big factor,” Mayor Ugulini tells ThoroldToday. “We’re the hub of the Niagara region. People are realizing that Niagara is strategically located.”
Just last week, the federal and provincial government announced they are investing $11.3 million in CHAR Technologies’ pyrolysis facility at the Thorold Multimodal Hub.
Mayor Ugulini hopes to keep the momentum going.
“Once something starts happening it starts to take on a life of its own,” he says. “I think we’ll be able to grow on this and there will be more moving forward.”
The new facility will add 500,000 square feet of available space, multimodal services and greenfield lands for redevelopment.
“The responsibility for this lies heavy on the BMI’s shoulders,” said BMI Group Managing Director Justus Veldman, in a speech. “But we truly feel that with the region’s support, the politicians’ support, and all of the surrounding neighbourhoods we can pull this off.”
Niagara Centre MP Vance Badawey tells ThoroldToday that the development of the Thorold Multimodal Hub shows what good government can achieve.
“Our government is not focusing on the business of good politics,” he says. “We’ve heard enough of that nonsense and rhetoric and noise coming out of the bubble in Ottawa. We’re going beyond that and concentrating on the business of good government which we can only do in partnership with good business.”
The expansion will make Thorold thrive once again, according to Badawey.
“We’re putting jobs back into this place that we lost ten years ago,” he says. “Therefore the quality of life in this riding is going to be so much better than it used to be at one time.”
