Heddle Shipyard in Thunder Bay Drydock

THUNDER BAY – Business – Ontario Shipyards, previously known as Heddle Shipyards, was an integral part of Canada’s ambitious National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), partnering with Seaspan in Vancouver in 2020 to produce components for the Polar Icebreaker program.

Despite gearing up by acquiring and upgrading the Thunder Bay site (formerly Fabmar Metals) to build ship modules, the strategy’s realignment and the entry of Quebec’s Davie Shipyards altered the landscape. This shift, coupled with delays in Seaspan’s deliverables, influenced the Trudeau Government’s decision to redistribute icebreaker construction efforts, leaving Ontario Shipyards’ role uncertain.

What Happened?

The Trudeau Government re-opened the bidding, and Quebec’s Davie Shipyards was brought in to join the program. The Trudeau government then awarded one polar icebreaker to Seaspan and one polar icebreaker to Davie in Quebec. That move left the facility in Thunder Bay with no work, and led to the idling and the loss of jobs here in Thunder Bay.

Some History!

Impact …