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Authors

Mike Piskur

Abstract

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Maritime Transportation System ("MTS") bears critical importance to the economic competitiveness of Canada and the United States ("US"). Maritime transportation comprises both a major economic driver and job creator for both countries. As a cost-effective and highly efficient means of transporting raw materials and finished products to market, the MTS is essential to agricultural, mining, and manufacturing supply chains that frequently stretch across the US-Canada border and beyond. Yet management of the MTS is fragmented, with responsibility for various system components scattered across numerous federal agencies in both the US and Canada. This fragmentation results in a dearth of transparency, confusing and disjointed governmental authority, higher user costs, barriers to establishing new markets, and overall reduced system competitiveness. The development of a treaty that commits both nations to integrate system management, harmonize regulations, and promote more effective coordination will bring clarity regarding authority over key system aspects, increase accountability, and improve performance.

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