A ‘sweeter’ future: Sucro Can opens major sugar refinery at Hamilton port

A new project expected to create jobs, boost agri-food trade and expand Hamilton’s role beyond heavy industry is now up and running.

A major new player in Canada’s food supply chain opened its new refinery at the Port of Hamilton today. While the port has long been known for steel, sugar is becoming a big part of the story.

The new Sucro Can refinery that sits on 20 acres at Pier 15 is officially open. Once fully built out, it is expected to become the largest sugar refinery in Canada and in North America.

Construction began in 2024, with the $135-million facility expected to produce up to one million metric tonnes of refined sugar a year.

“The modern and energy efficient refinery is perfectly situated to service the growing demand of the Canadian food manufacturers,” said Jonathan Taylor, Sucro Can founder and CEO.

Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath said the facility provides a vital link for the region.

“It means bakeries, beverage producers and food manufacturers across southern Ontario and into the U.S. can count on a stable domestic supply,” Horwath said.

For decades, this waterfront was driven by steel, coal and heavy industry. However, according to a HOPA 2025 report, agri-food business now makes up 44 per cent of the port’s cargo commercial value.

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The refinery will produce both dry and liquid refined sugar, supplying industrial customers across Ontario, Quebec and the U.S. midwest.

Right now, about 65 skilled workers are helping keep the refinery running, and that number is expected to grow as more processing systems come online.

Raw sugar arrives at the port from Central and South America, with a storage facility capable of holding up to 40,000 metric tonnes at a time. The port’s access to shipping, rail and highways was a big reason the company chose Hamilton, helping move product quickly across the region.

HOPA and Sucro Can say this goes beyond just the opening of the new refinery.

“It’s about partnership, ownership and building something that will serve Canada and the world for decades to come,” Taylor said.

Ian Hamilton, HOPA president and CEO, noted the changing landscape of the local economy.

“Steel’s always gonna be an important commodity for Hamilton. But over the last decade we’ve had close to half a billion dollars invested into the agri-food industry at the Port of Hamilton,” Hamilton said.

The opening of this refinery marks a big shift happening along Hamilton’s waterfront — one that is looking a little different, and a little sweeter.

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