St. Lawrence Seaway Strike Snarls Shipments In Eastern Canada
On October 22, approximately 350 workers who operate the system of locks, canals, and channels between Montreal and Lake Ontario and between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie launched a strike to demand wage increases.
The seaway is a key economic artery for Quebec, Ontario, and eastern Canada. In 2022, about 36.3 million tons of cargo valued at C$16.7 billion passed through the seaway, generating about C$6 billion in economic activity and supporting more than 42,000 Canadian jobs. According to Canadian Manufacturing, Midwest export goods. Key cargo includes grain, iron ore, petroleum products, stone and coal.”
Industry groups criticized the strike. The Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) said that the strike was “another interruption at the heart of the supply chain, and manufacturers are once again being held hostage.” The Canadian Chamber of Commerce urged the government to “act immediately” to end the strike.
The union reportedly had reached an agreement with the seaway’s management team on Sunday, but details were still coming out as of Monday, October 30, and the agreement has yet to be ratified.