By Tom Collins
JOHNSTOWN — Port of Johnstown, Eastern Ontario’s largest grain storage facility, set a record for total tonnage moved through the port last year.
General foreman Lance Stephenson said the port, next to the Ogdensburg international bridge on the St. Lawrence River, moved 731,000 metric tonnes of grains and cereals or about 4.5 times the capacity of the port’s elevator. The previous record was 705,000 metric tonnes in 2010.
Product moved included grains and cereals received, as well as stored grains and cereals shipped.
The port received 388,810 metric tonnes last year, up from 249,000 in 2014. About 181,462 metric tonnes of corn were brought to the port last year, along with a record 152,374 metric tonnes of soybeans, 50,895 metric tonnes of wheat and 4,079 metric tonnes of other crops (including oats and barley).
“The wheat numbers were surprisingly good,” said Stephenson. “We weren’t expecting that huge of a crop in 2015.”
In 2014, the port received 105,000 metric tonnes of soybeans, 101,000 metric tonnes of corn and 43,000 metric tonnes of wheat.
Port of Johnstown, formerly known as the Port of Prescott, is owned by the Township of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal (population 7,000).
