Thunder Bay's Evolving Waterfront

  

It was recently reported that another portion of the former CNR waterfront iron ore trestle will soon be coming down to make room for an expansion for Midcontinent Terminals cargo shipping facilities. The economic benefits of expanding port activity in terms of additional cargo and job creation notwithstanding, there is a certain amount of wistfulness associated with watching the grand structure shrink further.  True, it can be seen as a barrier and an eyesore, but it also represents a rather impressive structure built during an era where it seems Canada was still capable of quickly building large, impressive structures as part of its industrial development.  

Designed by C.D. Howe’s engineering firm, the trestle was built at the end of World War II to ship iron ore by rail out of the Steep Rock Mine at Atikokan and the end of the mine along with signalling the decline of Atikokan also ended the need for the trestle. Of course, the right of way and run up to the main dock facilities are long gone but the remnants are still quite impressive in terms of their sheer size especially when one is out in the harbour and sailing by.  A number of years ago, had the pleasure of a harbour boat tour with friends and took some pictures of the trestle. Enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Port Activity in Thunder Bay: A Retrospective

Thunder Bay's economic development hinged on its role as a transportation hub and its port was integral to that.  From the early days of the grain trade to the development of the massive elevators that still mark its waterfront, Thunder Bay was vital to the development of the Canadian wheat economy.  At its peak, over thirty grain elevators lined the waterfront in Thunder Bay and it was the largest grain port in the world.  Thunder Bay's port underwent a decline in the 1980s as a result of shifts in global grain markets that persisted  into the early 21st century but recent years have seen a resurgence of both the grain trade and the port.  Indeed, there is new life in the entire St. Lawrence Seaway as a recent piece in the Globe and Mail noted that 2017 has seen a 20 percent increase in freight movement driven by iron ore and grain shipping.