St. Lawerence Seaway Shipping Vital to Economic Strength and Development
[By: Chamber of Marine Commerce]
A comprehensive independent study of the economic impacts of the entire Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway navigation system for the 2022 shipping season was released today, detailing the billions in economic activity and hundreds of thousands of jobs supported by the industry. Titled “Economic Impacts of Maritime Shipping in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Region,” the study reviews the industry’s economic impacts from multiple perspectives, and showed that even in a year in which the world was gripped with pandemic challenges, global unrest, and supply chain concerns, marine shipping drove the North American economy forward.
The binational study presents results from both a U.S. and Canadian perspective.
An analysis of the “Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System” is most relevant to American stakeholders because it focuses on cargo traffic to and from Great Lakes ports. The study showed that from this perspective, 2022 maritime commerce supported:
- $36 billion (USD) in economic activity;
- more than 240,000 jobs, which generated almost $18 billion (USD) in wages;
- the movement of 135.7 million metric tons of raw materials and finished goods; and
- $6.3 billion (USD) in state and federal taxes.
An analysis of the “Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Waterway” is most relevant to Canadian stakeholders in that all Quebec impacts along the St. Lawrence are considered - including those outside the Great Lakes. The study showed that from this perspective, 2022 maritime commerce supported:
- $66.1 billion (CDN) in economic activity;
- more than 355,000 jobs that generated more than $30 billion (CDN) in wages;
- the movement of 252.1 million metric tons of raw materials and finished goods; and
- $12.8 billion (CDN) in taxes.
The English language version of the study can be accessed at https://greatlakes-seaway.com/
The French language of the of the study can be accessed at https:///grandslacs-
The study was requested by a public/private sector committee of American and Canadian maritime organizations, with the intent of providing the navigation community, transportation planners, government policy makers, and the public with a credible, independent assessment of the economic contributions made by commercial maritime shipping in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region throughout North America. The industry’s vital contributions to jobs and wages, supply chain strength, business competitiveness across key commodities, and tax revenues provide strong rationale for major governmental initiatives aimed at enhancing infrastructure and improving supply chains. This includes the U.S. Government’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, which were aimed in part at investing in green technologies and infrastructure enhancement, the Canadian Government’s Green Shipping Corridor Program, which will support increased sustainability within the marine sector, and the Canadian Government’s commitment to establish a dedicated Transportation Supply Chain Office to enhance supply chain effectiveness.
In addition to the information presented in “Economic Impacts of Maritime Shipping in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Region,” an additional study detailing the public and private investments made in the Great Lakes -St. Lawerence Seaway System will be released this fall.
Information regarding the author of the study and the industry collaboration that led to the study being prepared is included in the backgrounder that follows.
The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.