Port Authorities

Mandate:

Canada Port Authorities (CPAs) advance the growth and prosperity of the Canadian economy by managing key marine infrastructure and services in a commercial manner, accounting for input from users and local communities.

There are currently 17 CPAs established under the Canada Marine Act (CMA) (Vancouver Fraser, Nanaimo, Prince Rupert, Port Alberni, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Windsor, Hamilton-Oshawa, Trois-Rivières, Sept-Îles, Saguenay, Québec, Montréal, St. John’s, Saint John, Halifax, and Belledune). CPAs handle 60% of Canada’s commercial cargo tonnage (335 million tonnes in 2017).

CPAs are federally incorporated, autonomous, non-share corporations that are expected to be self-sufficient and operate independently from the federal government but within the parameters of the CMA and their Letters Patent. Letters Patent outline the port’s governance, major activities and powers, and set out the lands and waters under a CPA’s management.

The CMA provides the Minister of Transport the authority to establish a regulatory framework regarding marine safety, security, environmental protection, as well as a responsibility to monitor compliance with these frameworks (e.g., prohibit a CPA from certain activities that could impact the soil, water or air quality in the interest of environmental protection).

CPAs’ core activities focus on shipping and navigation (e.g., transporting goods and passengers). CPAs also conduct non-core activities (e.g., borrowing to support transportation undertakings and land acquisition under their own names) to support port operations. When conducting non-core activities, CPAs are not acting as “agents of the Crown” and are solely responsible for such undertakings. CPAs are not Crown corporations pursuant to the Financial Administration Act.

Each CPA is governed by a board of directors, which is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the CPA and overseeing operational decisions, including establishing its management cadre. Boards comprise 7 to 11 representatives appointed by the federal (1), provincial (1) and municipal (1) governments, and port user group representatives (four to six) appointed by the Governor in Council upon the recommendation of the Minister. Directors have a fiduciary responsibility to the CPA, and not to their appointing body.

Below is the list of the 17 CPAs and their Chief Executive Officers (CEO) and Chairpersons.