The City of Port Colborne is seeking the public’s input on potentially dredging sediment buildup at Sugarloaf Marina and the public boat launch area.

As one of the largest municipally owned and operated marinas in Ontario, the marina provides 700 dock slips for both seasonal and transient boaters. Its operations include the public boat ramp that provides access to Lake Erie.

The in-water area near Sugarloaf Marina and the public boat launch is becoming shallower every year due to the accumulation of sediment, silt, and sand. In recent years, sediment buildup has reached a level that hinders boat navigation in certain areas of the marina and near the boat launch. To fix this issue, a dredging project is being considered to create more depth for larger boats trying to navigate in this area.

At this time, the City is asking the public for their input on the possibility of conducting dredging at the public boat launch and marina. The public will be asked for their thoughts on the scale of the dredging, the appropriate location to dispose of the dredged material, and the future of the marina site in general.

The marina and boat launch dredging project survey is now closed. A report will be brought to Council in the coming weeks.