A coalition of Canadian maritime and shipping stakeholders is calling on Ottawa to fully leverage the St. Lawrence–Great Lakes corridor to support nation-building projects and trade diversification. The group says the corridor already contributes over $66 billion to the North American economy and supports nearly 360,000 jobs, but remains underutilized. It is urging federal investment through the $5-billion Trade Diversification Fund to modernize ports, strengthen the Canadian fleet, extend the navigation season, and ensure adequate icebreaker support. The coalition also stresses the importance of collaboration with Indigenous partners and industry as global competitors invest heavily in automation, decarbonization, and digitalization.
