Minister Garneau announces extension of the St. Lawrence Seaway agreement

OTTAWA, July 14, 2017 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada recognizes that the St. Lawrence Seaway is an important, competitive and sustainable transportation corridor that provides economic opportunities for Canada's middle class.

Today, the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, announced a five-year extension to the Government of Canada's agreement with the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation to manage, maintain and operate the Seaway. This extends the existing agreement until March 31, 2023, and will provide stability for the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation and the marine shipping industry.

To ensure the Seaway continues to be positioned as a critical transportation corridor for North America, Transport Canada will conduct a review to examine further opportunities for increased economic and commercial development, the waterway's competitiveness and sustainability, and the Seaway's governance structure.

In the coming months, Canadians, provincial and municipal governments, Indigenous communities, international partners, users and stakeholders will be invited to provide input on the future of the Seaway.

Quotes

"The Government of Canada is committed to the safe, reliable and environmentally responsible movement of goods along the Seaway. We look forward to our continued collaboration with the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation to ensure this strategic transportation corridor remains competitive now and in the future."

The Honourable Marc Garneau                                       
Minister of Transport

"Since commercialization 20 years ago, the SLSMC has delivered safe, reliable and environmentally friendly navigation. The Corporation ‎has made excellent progress in strengthening the Seaway's competitive position. The Seaway's modernization program, representing the greatest change to operations since the waterway's inception in 1959, allows the Corporation to continue serving its many stakeholders and fulfilling its vision of providing a responsive and highly competitive transportation system which connects the heartland of North America to over 60 markets around the world."

Terence Bowles
President and CEO
The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation

Quick Facts

• The St. Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959, and consists of 15 locks and connecting canals or channels extending from Montreal to Lake Erie.
• Within the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway System, more than 100 ports and commercial docks link to more than 40 provincial or interstate highways and to 30 railway lines.
• As a vital artery between the Great Lakes and the lower St. Lawrence River, the St. Lawrence Seaway connects the heartland of North America to the world.

Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to e-news or stay connected through RSS, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr to keep up to date on the latest from Transport Canada.

This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons living with visual disabilities.

SOURCE Transport Canada

Contacts: Delphine Denis, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, Ottawa, 613-991-0700, [email protected] ; Media Relations, Transport Canada, Ottawa, 613-993-0055, [email protected]