Contributing to our economy

In 2017, Canada’s National Ports System directly produced more than $17 billion in economic output and $8 billion in GDP.

But that only represents a fraction of the full impact. When the indirect impact (businesses that supply goods and services to CPAs) and induced impact (direct and indirect employees spending their wages in the general economy) of CPAs are accounted for, the full picture emerges:  in total, CPAs generate $53 billion in economic output and $25 billion in GDP annually.

Ports are also an important generator of taxation revenues, with approximately $2.1 billion paid by employers and employees at Canada’s ports, as well as the port authorities themselves, to all levels of government.

Employing Canadians

CPAs are major employers. Almost 71,000 Canadians are directly employed by ongoing day-to-day activities as terminal operators and longshoremen, as well as in operations related to tugging, shipping, rail transportation, trucking, and freight forwarding. Port employees earn an average of more than $70,000 a year, well above the national average salary.

CPAs also generate additional employment along the supply chain, with 90,000 jobs in industries that supply port operations and another 53,000 in induced employment created by port employees’ spending in the economy.

Port authorities generate additional employment along the supply chain:  for every extra one million tonnes of cargo moved, 300 jobs are created in ports’ hinterlands.

Supporting the Cruise Sector

Port authorities also serve as hosts to cruise ship passengers. Annually, Canada Port Authorities welcome more than 1.3 million cruise ship passengers to their respective cities, generating over $4 billion for the economy.