Purpose
The 2011 study Economic Impacts of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System provides the navigation community, transportation planners, government policy makers, and the general public with a realistic assessment of the contributions made by the Great Lakes-Seaway system to the state, provincial, regional and national economies. This is the first-ever study that measures the economic impacts of the Great Lakes-Seaway system to both the United States and Canada, at the same time, using the same methodology.
Results
In 2010, 322.1 million metric tons of cargo were handled by all U.S. and Canadian ports and marine terminals on the Great Lakes-Seaway system. The movement of this cargo generated the following economic impacts:
- Employment - Maritime commerce on the Great Lakes-Seaway system in 2010 generated 226,833 U.S. and Canadian jobs, including 92,923 direct jobs
- Personal Income - Maritime activity in 2010 supported US$14.1 billion (Cdn$14.5 billion) in total personal wage and salary income and local consumption expenditures in the regional economies of the U.S. and Canada
- Business Revenue - As a result of maritime activity on the Great Lakes-Seaway system, US$33.6 billion (Cdn$34.6 billion) in business revenue was received by firms supplying cargo handling and vessel services, and inland transportation services.
- Local Purchases - Businesses involved in maritime activity in the Great Lakes-Seaway system spent US$6.4 billion (Cdn$6.6 billion) on purchases in their respective local economies
- Taxes - A total of US$4.6 billion (Cdn$6.6 billion) in federal, state/provincial, and local tax revenue was generated by maritime activity on the Great Lakes-Seaway system
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