Ontario Shipyards
Ontario Shipyards is the largest Canadian-owned ship repair and construction company on the Great Lakes, operating three shipyards in Ontario with Seawaymax build capability and serving federal government and commercial maritime clients under Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersHamilton, Canada
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Ontario Shipyards does
Ontario Shipyards, founded in 1987 and headquartered in Hamilton, Ontario, is the largest Canadian-owned ship repair and construction company operating on the Great Lakes. The company owns and operates three shipyards (Hamilton, Port Weller in St. Catharines, and Thunder Bay) totaling 316,000 m² of shipyard area, 26,000 m² of fabrication shop space, 1,300 m of service quays, and a combined 9,000-tonne dry-dock lifting capacity. Facilities include the HM1 and HM2 floating dry docks at Hamilton, two graving docks at Port Weller, and a graving dock at Thunder Bay, with the capability to build and launch Seawaymax-class vessels up to 225.55 m × 23.77 m. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified and Green Marine certified at the Hamilton and Port Weller facilities.
Ontario Shipyards delivers three integrated service lines: Vessel Lifecycle Services (new builds under 1,000 GT, ship repair, maintenance, overhauls, conversions, and vessel recycling), Industrial Fabrication Services for offshore energy, marine construction, and civil infrastructure, and Project Support Services (terminal operations, outfitting, facility leasing). Specialized capabilities span welding (carbon, alloy, stainless, low-temperature steels), mechanical and machining, electrical systems, and interior carpentry. The company is positioned as a strategic partner under Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy, leads the Team Vigilance consortium (with Vard Marine, Thales Canada, SH Defence, and Fincantieri) for the Canadian Multi-Mission Corvette program, and has a strategic cooperation agreement with Hanwha Ocean covering shipbuilding technology transfer and potential involvement in the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project.
The business is project-based, with revenue earned per engagement under quote-driven pricing determined by vessel type, scope, and complexity. Customers include the Canadian Coast Guard (100+ dry-docking and refit projects completed since 2012), the Royal Canadian Navy via the NSS framework, and commercial maritime operators such as McKeil Marine (30-year relationship) and Desgagnés. Ontario Shipyards pursues enterprise-level direct sales supported by government relations, consortium bidding, and an embedded shipbuilding training hub partnership with Mohawk College. The company is 100% Canadian-owned, founder-led (Rick Heddle as COO alongside CEO Shaun Padulo), with no disclosed external institutional investment.
Ontario Shipyards firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ontario Shipyards
- Legal name
- Ontario Shipyards
- Website
- https://onshipyards.webflow.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Ontario Shipyards is the largest Canadian-owned ship repair and construction company on the Great Lakes, operating three shipyards in Ontario with Seawaymax build capability and serving federal government and commercial maritime clients under Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ontario Shipyards industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Ship Repair and Construction Services
- NAICS
- Ship Building and Repairing (336611)
- SIC
- Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Dry Docks & Floating Docks (Graving, Floating, Syncrolift) (IMAJALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Naval & Government Vessel Maintenance & Modernization (TLAKAKAB), Mechanical Systems Repair (Engines, Propulsion, Pumps) (TLAKAKAF), Hull, Structure & Steelwork Repair (TLAKAKAE), Quay & Waterfront Civil Works (Piers, Quays, Seawalls, Dredging, Revetments) (IMAJALAF), Auxiliary & Logistics Naval Vessels (Replenishment, Support, Hospital) (IMAJABAD)
Keywords
Where Ontario Shipyards is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hamilton
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Ontario Shipyards business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Vessel Lifecycle Services: One-time project fees for new build vessel construction, ship repair, maintenance, overhauls, conversions, and vessel recycling services. Revenue is earned per project, with long-term maintenance plans creating recurring engagement over vessel lifecycles.
- Industrial Fabrication Services: Heavy industrial fabrication for offshore energy, civil infrastructure, marine infrastructure, and resource extraction sectors (fish farming, mining, forestry). Revenue generated per fabrication project.
- Project Support Services: Terminal operations, chartering and sale/purchase of assets, marine operations support (outfitting and reinstatement), and facility leasing. Diversified revenue from maritime infrastructure support activities.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Ontario Shipyards product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ontario Shipyards provides integrated vessel lifecycle services including new builds, ship repair, maintenance, overhauls, conversions, and vessel recycling from three Great Lakes shipyards (Hamilton, Port Weller, and Thunder Bay). The company also delivers heavy industrial fabrication for offshore energy, civil infrastructure, marine construction, and resource extraction sectors, plus project support services such as terminal operations, chartering, outfitting, and facility leasing. Specialized mechanical, welding, electrical, and carpentry services support both marine and industrial clients.
Product overview
Ontario Shipyards is a ship repair and construction company offering integrated Vessel Lifecycle Services (new builds, repairs, maintenance, overhauls, conversions, recycling), Industrial Fabrication Services (offshore, marine construction, civil infrastructure), and Project Support Services (terminal operations, outfitting). The company operates through its Team Vigilance consortium for naval vessel construction including the Vigilance Class Offshore Patrol Vessel for Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy. Additional specialized services include welding, mechanical/machining, electrical, and carpentry. The portfolio is unified under a single Ontario Shipyards brand following rebranding from Heddle Marine Service Inc.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Team Vigilance: Consortium partnership for Canadian Multi-Mission Corvette program including Vard Marine, Thales Canada, SH Defence, and Fincantieri
Products and services
- Vessel Lifecycle Services Comprehensive vessel lifecycle management including new builds, ship repair, maintenance, overhauls, conversions, and vessel recycling services for government and commercial maritime clients.
- Industrial Fabrication Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 100 dry-docking and alongside refit projects completed for Canadian Coast Guard since 2012
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Ontario Shipyards
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ontario Shipyards technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Ontario Shipyards partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Hanwha OceancoreStrategic cooperation with Hanwha Ocean, South Korea's leading shipbuilding company, to explore world-class shipbuilding technology and production capabilities. Ontario Shipyards visited Hanwha Ocean's Geoje Shipyard in June 2026 as part of ongoing strategic cooperation. Working meetings focused on shipbuilding capability development, production planning, quality management, workforce development, smart shipyard operations, and industrial modernization. Hanwha Ocean provides technical and operational support in design, engineering, production planning, and quality management systems. Hanwha Ocean plans further strategic investment in Ontario pending the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project award.
- Mohawk CollegecoreTrilateral Letter of Intent between Ontario Shipyards, Hanwha Ocean, and Mohawk College to establish an embedded shipbuilding training hub at Ontario Shipyards' Hamilton facility. The partnership addresses persistent shortages in skilled trades and technical professionals. Both Ontario Shipyards and Hanwha Ocean agreed to pursue future collaboration with Mohawk College for skilled trades development and to introduce advanced training technologies for Canada's marine workforce. Subject to the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project award, Hanwha Ocean intends to pursue a dedicated shipbuilding training centre.
- Team Vigilance ConsortiumcoreTeam Vigilance is a strategic consortium formed at CANSEC 2023 to pursue the Canadian Multi-Mission Corvette program. Partners include Ontario Shipyards, Vard Marine, Thales Canada, SH Defence, and Fincantieri. The consortium leverages nearly 100 years of shipbuilding tradition in Ontario and the province's industrial capacity to build next-generation naval vessels. Ontario Shipyards' role focuses on leveraging Great Lakes industrial capacity for naval shipbuilding under the National Shipbuilding Strategy.
- Cactus Ship Repair Inc.minorIn 2021, Ontario Shipyards divested its East Coast entity (formerly Heddle NL) to Dennis Thorne, who rebranded it as Cactus Ship Repair Inc. Ontario Shipyards maintains a strategic partnership with Cactus following the management buyout, preserving East Coast and Canadian Arctic ship repair capabilities.
- Seaspan ShipyardsminorIn 2020, Ontario Shipyards signed a teaming agreement with Seaspan Shipyards to bid the Canadian Coast Guard's Polar icebreaker program under the National Shipbuilding Strategy.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Ontario Shipyards competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Irving Shipbuilding: Irving Shipbuilding operates the Halifax Shipyard, Canada's other Tier 1 NSS contractor, building Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships and future River-class destroyers. Directly competes with Team Vigilance consortium for naval vessel programs.
- Seaspan Shipyards: Seaspan operates Vancouver Shipyards and is a Tier 1 contractor under Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy. Ontario Shipyards has a teaming agreement with Seaspan for the Polar icebreaker program, and both compete for federal government vessel work.
- Fincantieri: Italian global shipbuilder and member of the Team Vigilance consortium alongside Ontario Shipyards for the Canadian Multi-Mission Corvette program. Competes for naval vessel programs while also serving as a consortium partner.
- Chantier Davie Canada Inc. Largest shipyard in Canada located in Lévis, Quebec. Recently added as a third Tier 1 contractor under Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy, directly competing with Ontario Shipyards and Team Vigilance for federal government vessel work.
- Cactus Ship Repair Inc. Former East Coast entity of Ontario Shipyards (Heddle NL) divested to Dennis Thorne in 2021. Operates in Atlantic Canada and the Canadian Arctic as a competing ship repair provider with strategic partnership ties back to Ontario Shipyards.
Emerging players
- Vard Marine: Canadian naval architecture and marine engineering firm and Team Vigilance consortium member with Ontario Shipyards. Provides ship design capability that complements Ontario Shipyards' construction and repair expertise.
- Thales Canada: Defence electronics and systems integrator and Team Vigilance consortium member with Ontario Shipyards. Provides combat management, sensors, and mission systems for naval programs like the Canadian Multi-Mission Corvette.
- Hanwha Ocean: South Korea's leading shipbuilder and strategic partner of Ontario Shipyards since 2026, providing technology transfer in design, engineering, and smart shipyard operations. Direct competitor and partner for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project bid.
Regional players
- Algoma Central Corporation: Great Lakes-focused commercial shipping company. Ontario Shipyards previously acquired Algoma Ship Repair assets in 2020 and continues to serve the Algoma fleet, making it both a former asset contributor and a recurring ship repair customer on the same waterway.
- Hike Metal Products: Canadian shipbuilder on the Great Lakes (Wheatley, Ontario) building patrol vessels, workboats, and offshore platforms. Comparable in scale and regional focus to Ontario Shipyards' new build capabilities for vessels under 1000 GT.
Market position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ontario Shipyards social profiles
Digital presenceOntario Shipyards financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ontario Shipyards leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Ontario Shipyards subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Ontario Shipyards funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ontario Shipyards M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ontario Shipyards
What does Ontario Shipyards do?
Ontario Shipyards provides integrated vessel lifecycle services including new builds, ship repair, maintenance, overhauls, conversions, and vessel recycling from three Great Lakes shipyards (Hamilton, Port Weller, and Thunder Bay). The company also delivers heavy industrial fabrication for offshore energy, civil infrastructure, marine construction, and resource extraction sectors, plus project support services such as terminal operations, chartering, outfitting, and facility leasing. Specialized mechanical, welding, electrical, and carpentry services support both marine and industrial clients.
Is Ontario Shipyards a public or private company?
Ontario Shipyards is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Ontario Shipyards founded?
Ontario Shipyards was founded in 1987. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Ontario Shipyards based?
Ontario Shipyards is headquartered in Hamilton, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Ontario Shipyards make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Vessel Lifecycle Services are the primary driver. The others are industrial Fabrication Services and project Support Services.
Who are Ontario Shipyards's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Irving Shipbuilding, Seaspan Shipyards, Fincantieri, Chantier Davie Canada Inc. and Cactus Ship Repair Inc.. Emerging players are Vard Marine, Thales Canada and Hanwha Ocean. Regional players are Algoma Central Corporation and Hike Metal Products.
Does Ontario Shipyards have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ontario Shipyards.
What industry is Ontario Shipyards in?
Ontario Shipyards's product category is Ship Repair and Construction Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAJALAA, Dry Docks & Floating Docks (Graving, Floating, Syncrolift), with a secondary code of TLAKAKAB, Naval & Government Vessel Maintenance & Modernization. Its NAICS code is 336611 and its SIC code is 3730.