REGIONAL REPORT
The Great Lakes: living up to the name essential transportation corridor to move cargo — and grow the economy
www.drycargomag.com
Louise Dodds-Ely The Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Seaway System is a deep draught waterway extending 3,700km (2,340 miles) from the Atlantic Ocean to the head of the Great Lakes, in the heart of North America. The St. Lawrence Seaway portion of the System extends from Montreal to mid-Lake Erie. Ranked as one of the outstanding engineering feats of the twentieth century, the St. Lawrence Seaway includes 13 Canadian and two US locks. The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River have been major North American trade arteries since long before the US or Canada achieved nationhood. Today, this integrated navigation system serves miners, farmers, factory workers and commercial interests from the western prairies to the eastern seaboard. With economic output estimated at $6
trillion, the provinces and states bordering the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Seaway System account for 30% of combined Canadian and US economic activity and employment. The region would rank as the third largest economy in the world if it were a country. Positioned at the core of this economic powerhouse, the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Seaway System serves as a vital supply chain. The Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway was built as a binational partnership between the US and Canada, and continues to operate as such. Administration of the system is shared by two entities, the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS) in the US, a federal agency within the US Department of Transportation, and The St. Lawrence
Seaway Management Corporation in Canada, a not-for-profit corporation (ownership of the Canadian portion of the Seaway remains with the Canadian federal government.)
QUICK FACTS v Cargo shipments on the Great LakesSeaway system generate $45 billion of economic activity and 238,000 jobs in Canada and the US. v The binational St. Lawrence Seaway serves as the linchpin within the broader waterway, connecting the lower St. Lawrence River to the Great Lakes. Beginning in Montreal and extending to points west, the Seaway’s 15 locks (13 Canadian and 2 U.S.) enable ships to climb a total of 168 metres from sea level up to Lake Erie.
APRIL 2022
SLSMC: ready to help reinvigorate trade and ensure a stable supply chain
DCi 34
ABOUT THE ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY MANAGEMENT CORPORATION The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC), the successor to the St. Lawrence Seaway Authority, was
established in 1998 as a not-for-profit corporation by the Government of Canada, Seaway users and other key stakeholders. In accordance with provisions of the Canada Marine Act, the
Corporation manages and operates the Canadian assets of the St. Lawrence Seaway, which remain the property of the Government of Canada, under an agreement with Transport Canada.
