Local council approved another $50,000 in lobbying efforts as the Goderich Port Management Corporation tries to secure the federal funds needed for expansion.
The corporation presented its annual report to Goderich council this week, which also served as an opportunity to say goodbye to outgoing president Rowland Howe.
Then council was introduced to his predecessor, incoming president Frank Hurkmans, who said that getting moving on this expansion was the number one goal, so more business can come into Goderich shores.
"There's all kinds of one-off, ancillary business that's waiting to come into the Port of Goderich, which will create mediocre revenues," he said. "But what we're really looking for, in hand with the funding that Rowland has been working on with the National Trade Corridor Fund, is to get that across the finish line so we can add that additional 11 acres we've been waiting for."
Though the port was able to add four acres a few years ago, Hurkmans says until they can secure the rest of the expansion, revenues won't be maximized.
"It's very similar to a restaurant, where you get a group of people that come in, they sit at that table for three hours and you can't do anything else with it," he said. "The idea with the dock business is you want them in and out as fast as you can. The challenge that Dock 8 has right now and why that additional 10 acres is so important, is the internal products that Tomlinson brings in right now eat up 60 per cent of four acres. So the opportunity beyond that is somewhat restricted."
Council received the port's report and approved the funding request. The funds were taken from the port expansion reserve fund, which had a balance of $104,000.