By ship

Canada has the longest coastline in the world and is one of just three countries that borders on three oceans. Our port cities serve a chain of people that extends deep into the hinterlands. The true users and benefactors of Canada’s marine transport system are the farmers, miners and factory workers who produce and receive goods. In 2001, 287 million tonnes of international cargo, representing over 98 billion dollars of international trade, flowed through those port cities.

As Canada's busiest port, Vancouver is the gateway for many bulk products leaving Canada, such as coal, wheat and sulphur. The port handled 72 million tonnes of marine cargo in 2001, including over 10 million tonnes of containerized cargo. Investments by the port authority and its railway partners (CN and CP) in the port's infrastructure have helped to make Vancouver the fastest-growing container port in Canada. Moreover, Vancouver has been successful at attracting Pacific trade that was previously handled by American ports.

	Shipment of merchandise by boat Photo: Comstock

While many exports leave Canada through Vancouver, imported goods tend to arrive through the eastern ports of Halifax and Montréal. Both of these ports are well situated for supplying the Canadian and American markets with European goods. Indeed, Montréal was the leading North American gateway for containerized freight exchanged with Europe in 2001, ahead of the port of New York/New Jersey. While Canada accounts for roughly 7% of North America’s retail sales, Canadian ports handle about 14% of the containerized freight shipped between North America and ports overseas.

Canada's vibrant trading relationship with the United States is also reflected in shipping figures, particularly for transborder shipping in the Great Lakes region. In 2001, ships flying the Canadian flag transported 50% of the 108 million tonnes of marine cargo shipped between Canada and the United States. Foreign ships accounted for 40% and American ships for 10%. Interestingly, coal has once again become an important commodity of cross-border trade. American coal is increasingly in demand for Canadian thermal electrical generating stations on the Great Lakes, a reflection of Ontario's waning dependence on nuclear power. From 1991 to 2001, the quantity of coal imports from the United States doubled from 11 million tonnes to 22 million tonnes.

Trade in Canada is also supported by marine and multimodal transport of goods. Iron ore is shipped from Labrador first by rail to ports on the lower St. Lawrence River and then by ship to the steel mills of Hamilton, Ontario. Pulpwood and wood chips move by barge along the Pacific coast to paper mills. Stone and limestone building materials are carried across the Great Lakes. The discovery and production of oil and gas off Canada's east coast have also boosted domestic shipping, both because of the servicing of offshore oil rigs and the offloading and storing of crude petroleum onshore prior to its export. Almost five million tonnes of crude petroleum were loaded at Newfoundland and Labrador ports in 2001 for domestic shipping, compared with just 371,000 tonnes in 1998, which was the first year of production.

Canada's extensive marine network is also geared toward transporting people. Ferries, water taxis, cruise ships and excursion operators all carry Canadians to and from their work and holiday destinations. Ferries, in particular, are important transportation links for many Canadians. In 2001, Canadian ferry operators transported over 40 million passengers and 17 million vehicles, accounting for approximately 15% of worldwide ferry traffic. Cruise visits to ports on both coasts are reaching record levels. In 2002, cruise ship traffic to Vancouver, Montréal, Québec, Halifax and Saint John approached 1.5 million passengers, compared with 480,000 in 1990.