CBC’s television series Still Standing has put Port Colborne, Ontario, in the spotlight, filming an episode in the city this past May that highlights its shift away from a heavy-industry past toward a new kind of local economy.
Show producer David Kerr said the community was chosen because it is a “story of transition” that fits what the series looks for. The crew spent time with small business owners along the downtown and waterfront, including Paula Campbell, who runs Mom Dukes Authentic Jamaican Cuisine on Main Street West, and members of the Italian Canadian Cultural Centre, known locally as the Italian Hall.
For much of the 1900s, Port Colborne was built around factories and mills powered by Niagara Falls electricity. The biggest employer was the International Nickel Company refinery, which at its height in the 1950s had more than 2,000 workers. By 2018, that number had dropped to about 170 as operations scaled back. After decades of population decline that started around 1971, the city has rebounded to 20,033 residents in the 2021 census, up 9.4 percent from 2016.
New investment is visible in the north end, where a $1.56-billion Asahi Kasei battery separator plant is under construction and now targeting the first half of 2029 for commercial production. The project is a move into advanced manufacturing and the electric vehicle supply chain.
The episode, part of Still Standing’s 12th season, features comedian Jonny Harris visiting local spots and wrapping up with a standup comedy show at St. John Bosco Catholic Elementary School. Tiana Melnychuk, the city’s strategic communications officer, said the municipality supported the production but no city officials were interviewed for the program. A broadcast date has not yet been announced by CBC, though the episode will also be available on CBC Gem.
