Hamilton gets sweeter as Sucro Can opens new sugar refinery

Sucro Can Canada and the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA Ports), recently celebrated the opening of Sucro Can’s new sugar refinery at Pier 15, Port of Hamilton.

Construction of the $135-million refinery broke ground in April 2024 and wrapped up in April 2026, on time and reportedly on budget.

The refinery is set to become the largest sugar refinery in Canada and one of the largest in North America. It is expected to reach an annual capacity of 1 million metric tons.

“For Hamilton this is about much more than production, it is about strengthening our position as a leader in the agri-food sector, one of the industries that continues to drive economic growth and stability in our city,” said Hamilton mayor Andrea Horwath.

A 2025 report from HOPA found the agri-food industry is now 44 per cent of the port’s commercial value, placing food production and processing as the second largest industry in Hamilton and emphasizing the importance and growth of the sector in Ontario.

Sucro Can’s Hamilton plant that opened in 2019 has been decommissioned and employees will transition to the new facility. Equipment from the old facility has been dismantled and shipped to Guyana where it will help create what will reportedly be the largest sugar refinery in the Caribbean.

The plant intends to fill an essential role in the supply chain for Ontario and Canada’s food sector.

“The modern and energy-efficient refinery is perfectly situated to service the growing demand of Canadian food manufacturers and makes Canada attractive for food manufacturers looking to re-locate here. Reliable, cost-effective sugar is critical for them and this facility delivers exactly that,” said Sucro Can Canada CEO Jonathan Taylor.

“Today isn’t about the new refinery, it’s about partnership, ownership and building something that will serve Canada and the world for decades to come,” he added.

Sucro Can emphasized the value of the location with access to Lake Ontario, rail services and proximity to the U.S. border that will allow them to maximize their export capabilities.

A portion of Sucro Can’s port operations are located at Randle Reef, a part of Hamilton Harbour that is currently undergoing remediations. With completion set for later this year, Sucro Can’s import capacity will significantly increase.

The refinery will produce both dry and liquid sugar. Sucro Can says about 30 per cent of their current production is liquid sugar and 70 per cent is bulk.

Eli Cohen, vice president, sales & operations, Canada, told Food in Canada that much of Sucro Can’s initial business was liquid sugar, with newer customers looking for dry sugar.

The raw sugar will primarily be imported from Brazil, but shipments will also come from Mexico, Argentina and other countries in Central and South America.

“People look at sugar for sweetness but it’s a very functional ingredient. Sugar is in everything.” Cohen said when asked about sugar’s growth in Canada. “Even at the worst economic times people are looking for comfort food. You’ll see some sugar consumption drop sometimes but generally people always come back to products they’ve been having for years.”

Some of Sucro Can’s clients include chocolate and ice cream manufacturers and bakeries.

According to the company, 85 per cent of sugar sales in Canada is used by food manufacturers.

“In Canada we may not see the growth domestically but what you’re seeing is a significant amount of export growth for finished goods to the U.S., so bakeries making products here that go to the U.S.; cookies, chocolate bars that are being made here going to the U.S, that’s where you’re seeing the growth of the sugar industry in Canada,” Cohen told Food in Canada. “Sugar, despite the perception, is still viewed as superior to corn sweetener, which is a less expensive way to sweeten products.”

The facility currently employs 65 people, with the number set to climb as systems continue to come online.