The Great Lakes Elevator on Georgian Bay within the City of Owen Sound.
The future of Owen Sound’s Harbour will be discussed by keynote speakers MP Larry Miller and Captain Scott Bravener, at a breakfast event November 13 at the Best Western Inn on the Bay.
The theme of the event will be ‘The Port connection: Why Canada Needs Owen Sound Harbour’.
Owen Sound’s harbour is part of the world’s longest deep-draft navigation system — one that generates 227,000 jobs and $35 billion in revenues. There has been much talk about developing the harbour to increase its use, and therefore its economic impact on our region.
Miller has been our local Member of Federal Parliament since 2004. In June, he told the Sun Times, ‘This harbour is huge to our economy. It’s huge and I think it has the potential to get bigger if we dredge it.’
The Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum in Michigan, named Capt. Scott F. Bravener as Great Lakes Man of the Year for 2013 and he was inducted into their Great Lakes Marine Hall of Fame that same year. Bravener has been the Lower Lakes’ President and Chief Executive Officer since its inception in 1994. He is a graduate of Marine Navigation Technology, Georgian College, Owen Sound.
Miller and Bravener will be discussing:
- Marine’s connection to Georgian College
- Small Ports Thinking Big
- New Great Lakes Investment
- Technology & Environmental Advances
The event will be put on by the Chamber of Marine Commerce, the Owen Sound & District chamber of Commerce with sponsorship from Georgian Collage. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the OSDCC. The breakfast event will begin at 7:30 AM on Thursday, November 13. Contact (519)376-6261 or email wendy@oschamber.com for more information.
One Response
How do you monetize a harbour? I’ve heard estimates in the range of $10 million to dredge, and the last dredge was apparently 15 years ago. Let’s say every 20 years. That means the harbour must net half a million dollars per year, to be set aside for a dredging fund. How does a harbour collect that much money? How many ship visits would that be? Is there any economic study of this harbour?