Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Cities Leaders Urge Canada to Unlock the Potential of Inland Shipping as a Nation-Building Strategy

Press Release

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Is Calling for Greater Resources for Customs Clearance at Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway Ports to Facilitate Global Trade

St. Catharines, ON – September 3rd, 2025 – As Canada works to build a more competitive and resilient economy, the mayors of key Great Lakes and St. Lawrence port cities are calling on the federal government to allow containers in more Canadian ports across the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway corridor.

In a joint letter sent this week to federal officials, including the Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, members of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (Cities Initiative) expressed strong support for a renewed mandate and investments in the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to enhance container capacity in this economically strategic region that connects the heart of North America to global markets.

Mayor Mat Siscoe, St Catharines, ON, Co-Chair of the Cities Initiative: “The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway generates over $60 billion of economic activity every year, supporting over 328,000 jobs in our region, including more than 181,000 jobs on the Canadian side. This powerhouse industry creates opportunities for people across Ontario and Québec and has significant potential to alleviate congestion on our roads and railways. To unlock that potential, the federal government must invest in the CBSA and give it a clear mandate to facilitate international trade and fuel economic growth. Given the current economic uncertainty, Canada can no longer hold itself back in pursuing the best opportunities to support job creation, strengthen key industries, and foster economic resilience.”

Despite the current focus on Canada’s trade ties, in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Region, the customs clearance capacity is shrinking. Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) 2024 withdrawal of services from the Port of Valleyfield has further constrained capacity, and ports across the region, including Hamilton, Windsor, Québec City, and Port Colborne, remain unable to receive international containers. The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway corridor, also known as Hwy H2O, is capable of handling significantly more cargo than it already is.

On the American side of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence, four ports offer the customs clearance capacity. This imbalance is causing Canadian ports to miss out on significant revenue

and job opportunities, while also weakening the role of Canada’s Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Region as a competitive maritime hub. Today, the Seaway operates at just 50% of its capacity, moving approximately 37 million tonnes of cargo per season — the vast majority of which is bulk goods, not containers. To fully realize the economic potential of Hwy H2O, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) must be resourced and empowered not only to protect national security, but also to play a proactive role in supporting trade and economic growth.

Mayor Valérie Plante, Montreal, QC: “Montréal occupies a strategic position in the trade flows of the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence region, and its port is a critical link in Canada’s supply chains. As we redefine our trade relationships, the establishment of new customs clearance services elsewhere in the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence basin emerges as a complementary initiative to the Port of Montréal. This approach would foster stronger integration of other regions of the country into international maritime networks, while also helping to reduce transit volumes at the Port of Montréal.”

Mayor Andrea Horwath, Hamilton, ON: “Hamilton has long been a gateway for Canadian industry and innovation, and our port is central to that role. The Port of Hamilton supports over 40,000 jobs and generates $6 billion in economic activity. It already occupies a vital role in Ontario’s agri-food economy and as an export gateway for goods manufactured in the province, but it could deliver so much MORE for our community and our region. Without funding for the CBSA to invest in customs clearance infrastructure and staffing, we’re leaving potential on the table — for our local economy and for the country. A modern, coordinated approach to marine trade is essential if we want to create good jobs, reduce traffic congestion, and strengthen Canada’s supply chains. It’s time to invest in Hwy H2O and CBSA customer clearance throughout the network as a serious part of our national trade diversification and economic renewal strategies.”

Mayor Bruno Marchand, Québec City, QC : “The Port of Québec is closely tied to the city’s history and its economic development. It is ideally positioned to accommodate ships and to connect businesses across Eastern Québec to global trade networks and to the continent’s economic and industrial core via the Great Lakes. This is of major strategic importance at a time of trade tensions. We naturally hope to see the federal government invest in improved customs clearance services at ports along the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence basin, in order to support economic development and meet the needs of our communities.”

Mayor Drew Dilkens, Windsor, ON: “As global trade tensions escalate and supply-chain uncertainties persist, strategic investments in alternative trade corridors—particularly freshwater ports and expanded container clearance capacity along Hwy H2O—are essential to building a more integrated, resilient, and globally competitive Canadian economy. With Windsor uniquely positioned as one of North America’s busiest international trade hubs, enhancing these

capacities would alleviate congestion on overburdened road networks, broaden access to overseas markets, and strengthen our regional supply chains, generating well-paid Canadian jobs and securing long-term economic prosperity. By prioritizing this, we can fully realize the potential of our freshwater maritime transport and firmly establish Windsor and other Canadian port cities as key anchors within a cohesive, dynamic, and unified One Canadian Economy.”

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About the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative is a multinational coalition of municipal and Indigenous government executives representing communities in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Region who are working to promote economic prosperity in our communities and protect our fresh water for the benefit of current and future generations. With more than 325 member communities, the Cities Initiative is leading the way in advancing the environmental, economic, and social health of the region by addressing issues impacting its residents.

For more information, please contact:

Marc Duschesne | Leliken Public Affairs| mduchesne@leliken.com

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