Port Colborne offers businesses a strategic location in Niagara with access to major Canadian and U.S. markets. The community is connected by road, rail and marine transportation, including the Welland Canal, and benefits from access to a skilled regional workforce.
With established industrial sectors, available employment lands and opportunities for continued growth, Port Colborne provides a strong foundation for businesses looking to invest, expand or establish operations in Niagara.
The Port Colborne Advantage
- Regional population: 484,840
- City population: 21,830
- 20 minutes from the U.S. border
- Labour force of 200,000+ within 30 minutes
- Competitive cost of doing business
- Serviced industrial land with highway, rail and port access
- Access to major markets by road, rail and the Welland Canal
- Strong bio-manufacturing and fabricated metals sectors
- Growing tourism sector with investment opportunities
Key Community & Economic Information
Explore key information about Port Colborne’s population, workforce, economy, transportation network and quality of life for businesses considering investing or expanding in the community.
The City of Port Colborne is a small, urban municipality located within the Regional Municipality of Niagara. As part of a region with 484,840 people, Port Colborne has the charm of a small community but the strategic advantages of a large city.
Within 45 minutes driving time of Port Colborne is a labour force of over 200,000 people across the Niagara Region. This contributes to the educated and highly specialized labour force of over 9,000 individuals in Port Colborne itself. There are several post-secondary education institutions in close proximity to Port Colborne. Many opportunities exist for companies to interact directly with area high schools, colleges, and universities through co-ops and other partnerships. With the diversified skill sets and education levels found across Niagara, companies in Port Colborne are able to tap into a modern labour force to reach their business targets.
For current unemployment rates and labour force participation rates for Port Colborne, please visit Statistics Canada - Labour Force Characteristics
Please note that Port Colborne is included in the St. Catharines - Niagara Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) for calculations of labour force characteristics. Unfortunately, there is no unemployment rate regularly calculated for Port Colborne's labour force at this time.
There were 5,120 jobs in Port Colborne in 2021. These are jobs which are within the municipality's geographic boundaries and do not include individuals commuting outside of the City for work. Census data, 2021 revealed that the participation rate in Port Colborne was 54.2%.
The City of Port Colborne is strategically located on Niagara's South Coast and the north shores of Lake Erie. The City is linked to a sophisticated highway network, with three provincial highways (King's Highways 3, 58, and 140) providing direct access. Located only 20 minutes from the US border, and one hour from the Greater Toronto Area, Port Colborne is within a day's drive of half of North America's purchasing power.
The City-owned Port Colborne Harbour Railway serves many industrial sites on the western side of Port Colborne. This short-line railway is operated by the locally-owned Trillium Railway and connects industries in Port Colborne to the Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) mainlines adjacent to the community. The City is committed to exploring options to increase service on this line to further reduce freight costs for the many industries that rely on this strategic infrastructure.
Multi-modal transportation in Port Colborne also includes water and air. The presence of the Welland Canal adds unique value and a competitive advantage by serving as a vital link in the St. Lawrence Seaway system, connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. The City's strong working relationship with the operator of the canal, The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, continually supports the businesses that rely on the Welland Canal to connect to markets around the world.
Three international airports and four regional airports are within 130 kilometres (80 miles) of Port Colborne. Toronto Pearson International Airport, John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport, and Buffalo Niagara International Airport are all major hubs for regional and international air traffic. All three airports also offer air freight and logistics services. Serving the regional market, the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Niagara Falls International Airport, Niagara District Airport, and the Welland/Niagara Central Airport offer varying levels service from scheduled flights to charter services and some freight operations.
Located close to Port Colborne are several renowned post-secondary institutions. Brock University and Niagara College are both within 20 minutes, while McMaster University and Mohawk College are found in nearby Hamilton.
Port Colborne is home to eight primary schools and two secondary schools, with education available in both English and French. Serving the community are the District School Board of Niagara, Niagara Catholic District School Board, and Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir.
The City of Port Colborne collects property taxes on behalf of the City, the Regional Municipality of Niagara, and it also collects the Provincial Education Tax. Taxes are determined by multiplying the specified rate by the assessed value of the property. Assessed property values in Ontario are set by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation.
The City of Port Colborne offers incentives to investors and building owners through the form of Community Improvement Plans (CIPs). The City currently offers CIPs for commercial, industrial, and residential revitalization. Contact the City of Port Colborne's Economic Development Officer for more information.
Port Colborne is served by three organizations that provide small business services and financing to entrepreneurs. The City can also provide assistance with establishing a small business.
Living in Port Colborne
Whether you are a cycling enthusiast, a cross-country skier, or you love to fish, Port Colborne offers world-class facilities for your recreational hours, including well-groomed golf courses, marinas, arenas, pools, and kilometres of sandy beaches.
Nearby Sherkston Shores, a family entertainment resort, boasts one of the longest beaches in the area with over three kilometres of white, sandy beachfront to enjoy.
Port Colborne has a very active arts community with its own theatre, museum, and art galleries. Port Colborne is also less than a hour's drive to the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Niagara's famous Shaw Festival Theatre. For the sports buff, the NHL's Buffalo Sabres, CFL's Hamilton Tiger Cats, and NFL's Buffalo Bills are all within a 35-minute drive.
Port Colborne is home to all the amenities to make your lifestyle comfortable, such as a highly respected hospital, quality retirement facilities, efficient community services, outstanding schools, churches, convenient shopping facilities, and affordable homes.
Cities like Buffalo, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Hamilton, and Toronto are minutes away through an infrastructure system that includes direct access to major highways such as the #140 and #406. Bus transportation is also available to other municipalities within the Niagara region as well as to Hamilton, Toronto, and Buffalo.
Port Colborne has outstanding new housing developments to choose from. You can also find beautifully maintained older homes in charming, historic neighbourhoods. Housing choices are available at a fraction of the cost of homes in major urban centres and below the average housing costs of other small communities.
A good indicator of pride and a strong sense of community in any locale is the number of clubs and service groups. In that sense, Port Colborne is certainly an actively engaged community. There are more than 47 major service organizations performing different functions and services in Port Colborne.