Redpath Sugar Refinery | 95 Queens Quay East

[tripwire]

I live in the area, and I love that Redpath is there. Sure, I do wish they did something about their fence, and maybe paint a few more murals, but I still really want them to stay. Historical, uniqueness, jobs, etc.

 

[xmyth_]

is there somewhere else that would be more practical from a business standpoint? I mean, if there was a greater advantage to being further up the St Lawrence, they’d have moved there ages ago right? And if there was some reason that further west on Lake Ontario was beneficial, they’d have made that move by now.

 

[Bayer]

Whether or not one finds that plant desirable at its current location, I recommend buying sugar from Lantic and not from a subsidiary of a Florida-based American firm.

 

[Koops65]

Well at least the sugar is made in Canada...

 

[lenaitch]

is there somewhere else that would be more practical from a business standpoint? I mean, if there was a greater advantage to being further up the St Lawrence, they’d have moved there ages ago right? And if there was some reason that further west on Lake Ontario was beneficial, they’d have made that move by now.

I think you answered your own question. If there was a business advantage to being someplace else, we can assume it be someplace else already. I suspect some people wouldn't care where it goes, so long as it goes. I recall somebody from the waterfront corp. or commission or something years ago saying it doesn't fit into their vision. Way to support the economy.

Well at least the sugar is made refined in Canada...

 

[dougtoronto]

Would be cool if they could incorporate features that make it more amenable and inviting to passersby, like a small sugar museum, a sugar sampling shack, a sugar-themed cafe, or an exhibit about the history of sugar refining in Canada, idk.

 

[DSCToronto]

is there somewhere else that would be more practical from a business standpoint? I mean, if there was a greater advantage to being further up the St Lawrence, they’d have moved there ages ago right? And if there was some reason that further west on Lake Ontario was beneficial, they’d have made that move by now.

Redpath was founded in Montreal in 1854: they opened here only in 1959 when the Seaway opened to get closer to major customers.

 

[torplanner]

Would be cool if they could incorporate features that make it more amenable and inviting to passersby, like a small sugar museum, a sugar sampling shack, a sugar-themed cafe, or an exhibit about the history of sugar refining in Canada, idk.

There has been a sugar museum at Redpath since 1979

Redpath Sugar Museum

Redpath Sugar Museum first opened in 1979 to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Redpath Sugar Refinery - the oldest of its kind in Canada. Recently in...

museu.ms

 

[Koops65]

Yes I should have been more clear. It is refined there, and packaged...

 

[DSCToronto]

There has been a sugar museum at Redpath since 1979

Redpath Sugar Museum

Redpath Sugar Museum first opened in 1979 to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Redpath Sugar Refinery - the oldest of its kind in Canada. Recently in...

museu.ms

Last time I looked the sugar Museum never reopened after Covid. Apart from anything, the former Director retired.

 

[torplanner]

Last time I looked the sugar Meuse never reopened after Covid. Apart from anything, the former Director retired.

That could be the case. I haven't been since pre-covid.

 

[xmyth_]

That could be the case. I haven't been since pre-covid.

Only time I’ve been is during doors open.

 

[Red October]

Count me as another who is cool with Redpath remaining in their location. Maybe there will be a day when the land is just too valuable for them to stay, but for now it's a neat historic remnant in what otherwise might be a sea of glass. The loading/unloading ships provide a neat backdrop for people hanging out at Sugar Beach, and the mural is nice.

Also count me in among those who wish that awful fence would be replaced by brick or wrought iron, and the frontage be activated more (the historic sugar refinery in my current home Auckland has a nice cafe on-site). I knew the museum existed but it isn't exactly obvious/prominent to those walking by. I also wish it wasn't such a bottleneck for pedestrians/cyclists but the city could always repurpose a lane of the road to fix that.

 

[rdaner]

Two factors are beginning to make production at this location increasingly difficult: traffic on QQE and the number of ships in Toronto Harbour exploding, especially in the warmer months.

 

[EBT]

I hope that the Redpath factory continues to stay at this location although there are certain big safety concerns with a sugar refinery in this location. Google "industrial dust explosions". There is a reason why the condo that was built directly to the west of this plant has a thick blast wall on its eastern elevation.

I just so happen to have familiarity with this plant because in the '90s I was the project manager for a company that supplied a small steam turbine generator to the cogeneration plant, so I was in and out of the plant many times. I can still remember the sweet smell inside the plant and the sticky floors.

Urban Toronto has a separate thread for the Redpath Cogen-Plant https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threads/redpath-co-generation-gas-plant-queens-quay-east.17726/page-5