The St. Lawrence Seaway system allows commercial vessels to transit between the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River through a system of locks.  This waterway connects the North American heartland to international marine trade routes, providing significant opportunities for industries to move goods and commodities towards domestic and global markets.

ACPA’s vision for the Seaway is premised on its value as a significant bi-national transportation system, with Canada Port Authorities as a key element. Transport Canada’s 2017 -2018 review of the St. Lawrence Seaway presented an opportunity to modernize and optimize the system in a sustainable and innovative manner. In its submission, ACPA recommended the following, in order of priority:

1. Reduce costs such as pilotage fees and tolls through regulatory changes to ensure marine competitiveness and modal equity;
2. Promote the Seaway as part of a broader bi-national transportation and supply chain system:
   1. National and sub-national government cooperation to ensure seamless transportation with identified, empowered and accountable champions.
   2. Broaden the number and diversification of the governance of the Seaway Board of Directors to reflect and represent markets and regions (such as Western Canada) that can and do use the Seaway.
   3. Broaden awareness and appreciation of the system within policy and with the public through strategic communications.
3. Remove cabotage restrictions in Canada to allow for competition; and
4. Enhance ice-breaking capacity.