Port of Toronto moved 2.3 million tonnes of cargo in in 2023
The Port of Toronto reports that it moved more than 2.3 million metric tonnes of cargo and welcomed a record 45 cruise ships and nearly 18,000 visitors to its Cruise Ship Terminal in 2023.
Construction in particular played a significant role in port activities last year. PortsToronto reports that the port moved 796,644 metric tonnes of cement (an 11 percent increase over 2022), 97,016 metric tonnes of aggregate, and 123,234 metric tonnes of steel products, including coil, pipe, and rebar.
The number of cargo ships visiting the Port of Toronto remained consistent in 2023, with 189 ships visiting the Port of Toronto and delivering a range of bulk, project and general cargo products totalling 2,311,616 metric tonnes.
In addition to importing 606,060 metric tonnes of sugar from Central and South America to support Toronto’s food and beverage industry, the Port moved more than 685,661 metric tonnes of salt, much of which is used for Toronto’s roads during the winter months.
“The Port of Toronto is part of an environmentally sustainable, marine transportation corridor through the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Seaway and facilitates the movement of goods and people through Canada’s largest city and most populous region,” said PortsToronto President and CEO RJ Steenstra. “Over and above the Port of Toronto’s significant economic impact, the 2.3 million metric tonnes of cargo delivered to the Port by ship last year took approximately 57,000, 40-tonne trucks off Toronto's congested roads and highways.”
An independent report published in September 2023 by Martin Associates confirms that marine cargo handled at the Port of Toronto generated $463.5 million in economic activity and 1,989 jobs in Ontario in 2022.