A Waterfront for Work and Play

One of the goals of Hamilton Oshawa Port Authority is for residents to be proud to live in the port communities of Oshawa, Hamilton and Niagara Region.

HOPA promotes port activities by providing its community members a look behind the gates at the daily life of a working port, promote and forge partnerships that connect people to the water.

HMCS Okanagan visits Port Oshawa, 1990

In 2021, HOPA welcomed a new neighbour to the Great Lakes. Beloved tugboat Theodore Too took up a new permanent berth in Hamilton Harbour, where he is on a mission as a champion for Canada’s marine industry. Theodore’s job is to help build awareness of all the diverse and inclusive marine employment opportunities, on and off the water. He is also a proud ambassador for Swim Drink Fish and an official guide of the Great Lakes.

Theodore Too visits Port Oshawa in the summer of 2022.

In 2022, the City of Oshawa and HOPA moved forward on a number of agreements resulting from a Memorandum of Understanding signed by both parties. This signifies a renewed commitment by the City and HOPA to strengthen their working relationship in realizing a shared vision of a prosperous working waterfront that complements the City of Oshawa’s active and vibrant public spaces. The forthcoming agreements will result in the following key initiatives:

• Land Exchange – an exchange of certain lands between the City and HOPA to accommodate a new Oshawa Waterfront Trail link and a new driveway entrance to HOPA’s east wharf lands.
• Communication and Cooperation Strategy – the advancement of a joint communication and cooperation strategy that will continue to enhance the working relationship between the City, HOPA and public stakeholders.
• Pier – the City will secure long-term public access to the Pier and beach for passive recreational purposes.
• Simcoe Street South – improvements to the streetscape along Simcoe Street South that will reduce heavy truck traffic near the Lakeview Park beach area, increase Port security and provide enhanced screening of the industrial port operations from the City’s vibrant waterfront parks and open spaces.

Mural in Lakeview Park, by Toronto Graffiti Artist, Nick Sweetman.

Looking ahead at the proposed plans, one can only imagine what the future holds.  As the area around the harbour continues to evolve , Oshawa’s harbour remains a vital element of the City of Oshawa’s growth and economic development today.