G is for “Grain Elevators”
By Phyllis Knox
This blog is part of a very special series created and written by Phyllis Knox, “Alphabetic Musings”, whereby she chooses a word starting with a particular letter from the alphabet and injects it with her storytelling magic.
From Wikipedia: “A grain elevator is a facility designed to stockpile or store grain. In the grain trade, the term “grain elevator” also describes a tower containing a bucket elevator or a pneumatic conveyer, which scoops up grain from a lower level and deposits it in a silo or other storage facility.”
From ca.indeed.com Longshoreman, longshore professional, longshore worker “operate in commercial harbours and docks, loading and unloading goods off cargo ships.”
From G3 Canada Limited: “In Eastern Canada, our G3 port facilities on the Great Laakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway from Thunder Bay, ON to Quebec (City), QC provide access to destinations across the Atlantic. Farmers deliver to our port facilities in Hamilton, ON and Trois-Rivieres, QC.”
Here are a few important facts from the history of our port according to the Port of Trois-Rivieres website:
1809: the first steamer arrives at the Trois-Rivieres harbour.
1881: the Trois-Rivieres Chamber of Commerce is founded to speak for the business community before the federal government
1893: the Dominion Coal Company rents a storage area on the Commissaire’s dock, where a large quantity of coal transited.
And so began what is now a 200+ year business relationship between our beautiful port and the rest of the world! Of course, as a child, I had no idea what was happening in and around those big, tall, grey buildings on the waterfront. I knew nothing about the importance of their existence. I just knew that it was a sight like no other in the area. As we walked around and shopped within our busy city centre in the 50’s and 60’s, we were given an added bonus. Just a block away from the bus station, there were huge ships docked along the shore. Their flags let us know that they had travelled to our port from distant and faraway, exotic countries throughout the world. I remember how I felt: I was intrigued by the mystery of and beauty of the huge vessels that dotted the area. What a sight it was! So much so, that I cannot ever live far from the St. Lawrence. My roots in Halifax had opened the door to the wonders of its waters and so as the resemblances and the pictures of Atlantic beauty filled my memories and filled my mind for years during my youth in both the Maritimes and in Quebec, I still enjoy them to this day and they most certainly, always will give me a measure of peace and harmony in my life!
According to the article “G3 Port Terminal Handles Record Grain Imports” posted on the website feedandgrain.com on August 18, 2022, “G3’s grain handling operation at Trois-Rivieres is focused chiefly on loading ships for export but is also the only facility on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System able to unload grain from large Panamax ships and transfer to truck, train or smaller vessels (…) G3 unloaded (…)far more than the facility has ever handled in one year.” Good news for our city!
The Port of Trois-Rivières
If you search on Facebook for the page “G3 Connection” (find it here), you’ll find some videos about the different processes in action down at the grain elevators at the Port of Trois-Rivières (videos were posted on Nov. 27,2020 and Aug. 4, 2022 as well as Feb. 7, 2022)…I love watching them, EH! And thanks for reading this post about grain elevators…their beauty stands out from all the rest of the buildings on our downtown wharf !
Panamax container ship
Phyllis
