Mandate:
The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) is responsible for the safe and efficient movement of goods through the Canadian Seaway facilities.
The Seaway was built as a bi-national partnership between Canada and the United States, and has been in operation since 1959. The St. Lawrence Seaway extends from Montréal to Lake Erie and consists of 15 locks and connecting canals/channels, as well as moving portions of bridges in two sections: the Montréal-Lake Ontario section, which comprises 7 locks (5 Canadian and 2 American); and the Welland Canal, which includes 8 Canadian locks.
The Canadian portion of the Seaway was commercialized in 1998, pursuant to the Canada Marine Act, and responsibility for its management was transferred to the SLSMC, which is a not-for-profit corporation. While the Government of Canada retains ownership of Canadian Seaway assets, the SLSMC is responsible for operating the Seaway and maintaining, repairing, acquiring and replacing the assets under its administration, pursuant to a framework agreement with the Minister of Transport, which is set to expire on March 31, 2023. Management of the United States portion of the Seaway has always resided with the United States Department of Transportation through its Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.
The SLSMC is authorized to charge tolls and generate other revenues to finance its activities, which is supplemented by federal funds provided through a statutory appropriation to eliminate annual deficits.
The SLSMC has members (rather than shareholders), and is governed by a nine-member Board of Directors comprising one member appointed by the Minister of Transport; one member appointed by each of the provinces of Ontario and Quebec; one member appointed by each industry class (domestic carriers, international carriers, grain, steel and iron ore and others); and the President and CEO, who is appointed by the Board.
In 2020, just over 37-million tonnes of cargo was transported on the Seaway. On average, trade along the Seaway is estimated to support 60,000 jobs in Canada and $59 billion in economic activity in both Canada and the United States.