A facility at Wheatley Harbour and one in Port Dover are getting $10 million facelifts to protect local fisheries and jobs, and hopefully expand markets to create more jobs.
Ontario Minister of Natural Resources (MNR) Mike Harris and Chatham-Kent-Leamington MPP Trevor Jones made the announcement at the provincial Lake Erie Management Unit facility in Wheatley on Friday.
Minister Harris told the crowd the funding will help increase both commercial and recreational fishing activities across the region and secure food production.
The planned improvements include replacing aging infrastructure, expanding facility space, and incorporating new technologies to improve efficiency and safety.
Wheatley Councillor Lauren Anderson told CK News Today the investment will help local fisheries stay competitive and sustain local jobs.
"It is like Christmas on Halloween. This industry is what has kept Wheatley going for generation, upon generation, upon generation," said Anderson.
Vito Figliomeni, Executive Director of the Ontario Commercial Fisheries’ Association, said the upgrades will help strengthen fisheries to withstand economic uncertainty from the U.S. and whatever else comes.
"Tariffs have been an impact on all of us Canadians and anything that we can do to try and diversify and explore other markets to lessen the dependency on the U.S. is definitely a step in the right direction," Figliomeni told CK News Today.
Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff said it's yet another milestone in Chatham-Kent and he's grateful for the investment.
"Wheatley is undergoing a remarkable transformation, and this investment by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources is another exciting step forward for the community. This project not only strengthens our vital fishing industry, but also supports the long-term sustainability of our natural resources," said Canniff.
Construction will begin over the next two years and the work is anticipated to be done by 2029.
Wheatley is home to the largest freshwater commercial fisheries in the world with approximately 45 fishing tugs.
It brings in an economic benefit of $200 million per year, supporting around 1,000 jobs in the fishery and fish processing sectors.
"As the largest harvester, processor, and distributor of freshwater lake fish on the Great Lakes, Presteve Foods strongly supports this investment in the future of Ontario’s fisheries. Modernizing the Lake Erie management facilities in Wheatley and Port Dover is a critical step toward sustaining healthy fish populations, supporting local jobs, and ensuring long-term stability for our industry. We commend the ministry for recognizing the importance of science-based resource management in preserving one of North America’s most vital freshwater ecosystems," said Ulysses Pratas, Founder of Presteve Foods Limited.
The province reported that Lake Erie contributed an average of 82 per cent of the total commercial fish harvested from the Great Lakes from 2004 to 2023.
"We are pleased that the Ministry of Natural Resources is investing in its infrastructure and upgrading its operations on Lake Erie. It is a positive sign for the commercial and angling fishing communities that Mike Harris and the MNR are investing in the long-term health and sustainability of Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair," noted John Omstead, Founder and CEO of John O’s Foods Inc.
