Heddle Shipyards rebrands as Ontario Shipyards

Ontario Shipyards CEO Shaun Padulo. “The rebranding of our company to Ontario Shipyards marks a significant shift.”

Canada’s Heddle Shipyards, which operates three shipyards on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes, has rebranded. On January 1, it became Ontario Shipyards, saying that the name change has been made “to reflect the next phase of our company’s growth and future success.”

The province of Ontario was once the epicenter of shipbuilding in Canada, with more than eighty commercial and government vessels built at the Port Weller Dry Docks and many more at the historic Thunder Bay Shipyard, says the company.

More recently, the company’s business has mostly been ship repair and maintenance and the rebrand is clearly a signal that it wants to put more newbuild business back into the mix.

“The transition to Ontario Shipyards is both a signal and a commitment that we will harness the capacity of Ontario’s shipyards and the industrial capabilities of the province to become the most reliable provider of ship repair and shipbuilding services in Canada so that our country has the vessels and skilled labour force it needs to be a maritime nation,” says the company, adding that its new name embraces Ontario’s shipbuilding legacy and articulates a vision to complete the revitalization of shipyards in Ontario so that the province can once again become a global leader in ship repair and shipbuilding services.

“We will do so by modernizing and revolutionizing shipyard operations and building a highly skilled and motivated workforce,” it adds, noting that, in the coming years, additional capacity will be needed to support the Canadian government’s

and that Ontario Shipyards stands ready to provide that capacity.

“We must never forget where we have come from, but it is important to always be forward-thinking and strive for a better future,” says president and CEO Shaun Padulo. “The rebranding of our company to Ontario Shipyards marks a significant shift. It is a poignant signal that our company will activate and harness the capacity, capabilities and output of Canada’s industrial heartland to build and fix ships. We will always maintain the core values that have made us successful – Ontario Shipyards is Where Water Meets Mettle.”