Ontario Shipyards plans memorial scholarship for worker killed at Hamilton pier

Ontario Shipyards is preparing to launch a scholarship in memory of Justin Smith, a 29‑year‑old steel supervisor who died in a workplace incident at Hamilton Harbour in late January.

The incident happened Monday at Pier 14 while Justin Smith was removing snow near the end of the dock at Ontario Shipyards Inc, Hamilton police said, according to a CBC report.

“A piece of equipment entered the water” and the worker went in as well, the police said. Emergency crews including police, fire and paramedics responded to the scene and attempted to resuscitate the man.

Smith was taken to hospital without vital signs and later pronounced dead, paramedic commander Dave Thompson said, according to CBC.

Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development is investigating the circumstances of the fatality. Smith had worked at the Hamilton site for nearly a decade.

Scholarship linked to new marine skills training hub

The idea of a scholarship emerged shortly after Smith’s funeral, when his mother, Barbara Smith, contacted Padulo to discuss a more permanent way to honour her son’s contributions at work, according to CBC.

That memorial project is now being tied to a broader workforce‑development initiative. This week, Padulo signed agreements with Mohawk College in Hamilton and South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean to create a new learning hub at Ontario Shipyards. The hub is intended to provide students with skills needed for employment in the marine industry, including shipyard and steelwork roles.

At a news conference announcing the partnership, Padulo said he had promised Barbara Smith that Ontario Shipyards would establish a Justin Smith scholarship at Mohawk College. He said one of Smith’s most significant impacts on the company was “the way he trained and mentored our people” and that the scholarship would reflect that legacy.

Mohawk College spokesperson Sean Coffey said the college’s advancement office will work with Ontario Shipyards to finalize the structure and administration of the scholarship once the company and family determine its focus.

Previously, more than $44,000 was raised to support the two young sons of Smith.

Family highlights leadership and support for colleagues

Barbara Smith said mentoring and supporting co‑workers was central to her son’s approach to his job. She described her son as a “natural leader and mentor, particularly to his female colleagues in what is often a male‑dominated industry,” according to CBC.

She said her son “truly loved” his work and consistently tried to help colleagues who wanted to build their skills, noting that he had benefited from mentoring earlier in his career and believed in giving others the same opportunity.

“It was very important to me to see his legacy continue in this way, and to help others, through his name, who may have been guided and inspired by his passion,” she said, according to the report. She added that she is “deeply grateful and excited to see what Shaun creates in Justin’s honour, something that both I and his boys can continue to be proud of, knowing that Justin’s impact lives on.”

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