BRUCE MINES, ONT. — Ontario Trap Rock is investing approximately $12.8 million in an electrified overland conveyor system designed to move aggregate from its 1,000-acre quarry beneath Highway 17 to its dock on Lake Huron’s North Channel.
The two-kilometre conveyor is currently under construction and is expected to be completed this fall. The project is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, limit heavy truck traffic and strengthen the operation’s ability to move construction materials through the Great Lakes.
The investment is being supported equally by the Government of Canada’s Green Shipping Corridor Program and Ontario Trap Rock’s owner, R.W. Tomlinson Ltd., with each contributing $6.4 million.
The project will use low-carbon and net-zero emission technologies to reduce emissions associated with the marine sector while making the supply chain for construction materials more efficient.
“This project is about investing in the future of Ontario Trap Rock,” said Rob Pierce, senior vice-president of planning and development at R.W. Tomlinson Ltd.
He said the federal contribution is helping accelerate a major infrastructure upgrade that will allow aggregate to be moved from the quarry to the company’s marine terminal in a more environmentally responsible way while supporting the operation’s long-term competitiveness.
R.W. Tomlinson Ltd. is a Canadian-owned, family-run company that has operated for more than 70 years.
At present, aggregate is transported by truck from the quarry and across Highway 17. Once operational, the new conveyor will significantly reduce the operation’s reliance on haul trucks.
The system is expected to eliminate thousands of truck trips across the highway crossing each year, while substantially reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Beyond its environmental benefits, the electrified conveyor is expected to provide a broader boost to the operation by improving the movement of aggregate to the Lake Huron dock, supporting more efficient supply chains and creating opportunities for additional economic activity and employment in the region.
