Picton Terminals announces it will not accept road salt shipments in 2020

Photo supplied by Picton Terminals’ drone in Jan. 2020

Picton Terminals announced late Tuesday afternoon it will not accept shipments of road salt in 2020 “and as it relates to salt at Picton Terminals, the future is unknown,” stated Sandy Berg, in a statement.

Berg called the reason this will be the first time since 1985 that the former Port of Hallowell has not transshipped road salt to eastern Ontario communities “is confidential”.

“Picton Terminals recognizes the inevitable added financial burden to regional road salt users, who must now travel farther to pick up road salt for their communities,” stated Berg. “Local community road maintenance agencies who use salt in maintaining safe roads, will increase truck miles driven on regional roadways, increase greenhouse gas emissions and add to already congested Ontario highways as they pick up road salt next winter.

“Picton Terminals regrets the financial and logistical costs to salt users as a result of the decision to not accept road salt in 2020.”

Last September the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks approved phase two of a plan to allow delivery of road salt starting that month. Picton Terminals was approved to receive more than 100 metric tonnes from Windsor Salt supplies in the fall, for delivery to municipal customers in eastern Ontario.

The plan had been to construct dry storage bins in time for salt shipments in the fall of 2020. The construction of the bins, Berg said, continues.

In October 2019, the County, local environmental group Save Picton Bay and Picton Terminals jointly announced a settlement in litigation.

As part of the settlement, Picton Terminals agreed not to use the property for storage of liquid fertilizer and would not alter its rezoning application to included uses associated with waste disposal; all salt deliveries would be stored in a closed facility and each party agreed not to seek costs from other parties.