Marine Transportation Infrastructure

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Abstract

Canada is a maritime nation with access to three oceans (Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic), and shared access to the longest inland waterway system in the world, the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway system of waterways. The map shows approximately 590 major ports, 700 small craft harbours, 1800 fixed light stations, the Seaway (including major locks) and vessel traffic service zones. The Canada Marine Act governs Canada’s port and harbour systems. The ports, comprising the National Port System, have been classified into three major types: Canada Port Authorities (CPAs), regional/local ports and remote ports. The largest ports are the 19 CPAs and 1 harbour commission (Oshawa), recognized by the Federal government as vital to domestic and international trade. The 700 harbours form the National Harbour System, managed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to ensure that harbours are safe and accessible for commercial fisheries and recreational boaters. The Canada Shipping Act provides for regulations which govern vessel traffic in the 11 vessel service traffic zones. Fixed light stations are coastal landfall lights that assist mariners in determining exact location when navigating coastal waters.

Prior to the development of the railway, the intersecting waterways of rivers and lakes, offered the only means of rapid movement through the country. These maritime routes carried most of the freight and passenger traffic within and to oversea markets. Before 1850, an extensive coastal and inland waterway system was developed, aided by the building of locks along the St. Lawrence River near Montreal and the construction of the Rideau Canal completed in 1832 between Ottawa and Kingston. During the same period, for easier access to Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, the Erie Canal and Welland Canal were completed by 1829. With the advent of the railway after 1850, the nature of marine transportation changed. Generally water traffic evolved from one based on the transport of all types of commodities to predominately recreational traffic and bulk cargo traffic. As a result the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River system became the most important inland navigation waterways, which connected rivers and lakes encompassing more than 3500 kilometres of waterways, westward from the Atlantic Ocean to almost half way across Canada (to Thunder Bay). The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway was completed in 1959. The enlarged locks of the system allowed ocean going vessels to sail directly to Lake Superior.

Throughout the early 20th century, areas not formerly served by railway could now be served by road, further reducing commercial navigation. Shipping on the Peace River ended in 1952 and that of the Yukon River ended in 1955. In the far north, the Mackenzie River in the Northwest Territories developed into an important regional waterway. In some areas the decline of commercial navigation such as along the Rideau and Trent Canals now serve recreational traffic. Coastal shipping remains important in areas that could not be served adequately by road or air. Ferry traffic to Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and Vancouver Island are important regional services.

The Seaway is the longest inland waterway in the world, and services 15 major international ports and 50 regional ports in both Canada and the United States. The Seaway is divided into two component parts. The Montreal-Lake Ontario (ML0) section from Montreal to Lake Ontario, and the Welland Canal section, which joins Lake Ontario to Lake Erie. The MLO contains seven locks within a span of 300 kilometres, five in Canada and two in the United States. The Welland Canal is composed of eight locks, spanning a distance of 40 kilometres all within Canada. The Canadian portion of the Seaway is managed by the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC). In 2006, the corporation handled 47.1 million tones of freight. Primary commodities shipped were grain (11.5 million tons); iron ore (11 million tons); and coal (3.7 million tons).

The Canada Marine Act, 1998, provided legislation for the restructuring of Canadian ports and introduced commercial principals in port management, manifesting in the creation of the Canada Port Authorities (CPAs). Vancouver is the largest port in Canada and main terminal for goods shipped to the Asia-Pacific Region. The Port of Montreal is the largest container port, because of its inland location and rail and road links to major markets. The next important is Halifax. In 2005, the majority of the domestic shipment of bulk materials was serviced by fleet of 184 self-propelled vessels of more than 1000 gross tons. Also, in 2005 an estimated fleet of 309 tugs and 835 barges and scows were operation moving ships and cargo. In 2005, approximately 38 million passengers and 16 million vehicles used Canadian ferry services.