The Welland Canal Corridor
The Welland Canal Corridor is the backbone of the Great Lakes trade economy. The Canal links Lakes Ontario and Erie to a wide web of infrastructure, from 400-series highways to Class 1 and short-line rail to abundant hydropower. It’s a key component of the binational St. Lawrence Seaway that supports nearly 40 million tonnes within the Great Lakes and connects the North American heartland to the Atlantic Ocean.
The City of Welland has joined with two other municipalities along the Canal – St. Catharines and Port Colborne – to create the Welland Canal Corridor organization, highlighting the importance of Niagara’s marine infrastructure to the overall well-being of economies in Ontario as well as across Canada and the United States.
Marine Resources
Chamber of Marine Commerce
Founded in 1959, the Chamber of Marine Commerce (CMC) is a bi-national, private sector, not-for-profit association that represents marine industry stakeholders. The Chamber advocates for safe, sustainable, harmonized and competitive policy and regulation for marine transportation.
St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation
The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) is a not-for-profit corporation responsible for the safe and efficient movement of marine traffic through the Canadian Seaway facilities, which consists of 13 of the 15 locks between Montreal and Lake Erie.
Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway
The Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway was built as a binational partnership between the U.S. and Canada, and continues to operate as such. Administration is shared by the SLSMC and its American counterpart: the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.
Ontario Marine Council
In partnership with the Ontario government and industry stakeholders, the Ontario Marine Council works to ensure Ontario’s marine economy realizes its full economic, environmental and social potential.
Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative
The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative is a multinational coalition of municipal and Indigenous government executives representing communities in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Region. Together, they are working to promote economic prosperity in their communities and protect fresh water for the benefit of current and future generations.
HOPA Ports
As an integrated port network, HOPA Ports offers innovative port and marine assets in Hamilton, Niagara and Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. HOPA Ports is active in developing multimodal spaces to support industries and facilitate trade.