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Toronto (March 7, 2019) – The Port of Toronto moved approximately 2.2 million metric tonnes of cargo in 2018 which represents another strong year in marine imports and further confirms the Port’s position as a vital part of Toronto’s economic infrastructure.
 
In 2018, 178 ships visited the Port of Toronto, bringing sugar, road salt, cement, aggregate and steel directly into the heart of the city. Overall the port moved 2,179,795 metric tonnes of cargo in 2018, surpassing the record-breaking year the port experienced in 2017. Further, this is the third year in the last five years that the Port of Toronto has moved in excess of 2 million metric tonnes of cargo.
 
In 2018, the port received steel products including rebar, merchant bar, steel plate and coils totalling 69,281 metric tonnes, representing the highest level of steel product moved through the port in 20 years. In addition, the port recorded 14,391 metric tonnes in warehousing storage, the highest level recorded since 2011. Cement cargo imports remained strong for another year at more than 610,400 metric tonnes, and stone, aggregate and sand cargo levels continued to increase, ending the year at 189,133 metric tonnes. Salt and sugar imports at 735,948 and 560,625 metric tonnes respectively remained consistent with 2017 tonnages.
 
The port also welcomed 17 passenger cruise ships carrying approximately 6,000 passengers in 2018, highlighting the importance of the ever-growing Great Lakes cruise ship business and the role it plays in contributing to Toronto’s booming tourism industry. The port is expecting this number to more than double this year with 35 cruise ships coming to Toronto in the summer and fall of 2019.
 
“From the cement and steel used to build and enhance infrastructure across the Greater Toronto Area to the sugar used to support the food and beverage industry, the goods delivered through the Port of Toronto are part of an important supply chain that services many of the city’s key sectors. Additionally, the port’s cruise ship business continues to have a positive impact on tourism as more and more travellers are making their way through the Great Lakes and visiting Toronto,” said Geoffrey Wilson, PortsToronto Chief Executive Officer. “The Port of Toronto continues to play a vital role in Toronto’s transportation infrastructure network by providing businesses with a convenient, sustainable and cost-effective way to bring goods, and people, into the heart of the city.”
 
During this record-setting year, PortsToronto also welcomed Cinespace –  the largest private owner, operator and developer of studios for film, television and digital media production in North America – to the Port of Toronto. Cinespace has leased Marine Terminal 51 and part of the Cruise Ship Terminal on a long-term lease to offer production offices and studio space to content creators. In February 2019, it was announced that Netflix will use this space as part of its Toronto production hub that will bring thousands in jobs and revenue to the city. This complementary use is facilitated in parallel with traditional port operations and has proven to be successful in ensuring the full utilization of PortsToronto property.
 
About the Port of Toronto(https://www.portstoronto.com/port-of-toronto.aspx)
Since 1793, the Port of Toronto has served as Toronto’s gateway to the St. Lawrence Seaway and to marine ports around the world. Serving primarily as a bulk cargo destination, the port boasts a unique location minutes from Toronto’s downtown and moves goods from countries as far away as Germany, South Korea, China, Brazil, Australia, South America and the United States. In addition to managing the movement of ships through the harbour, PortsToronto is the owner and operator of Marine Terminals 51, 52 and the Cruise Ship Terminal within the Port of Toronto.
 
The Port of Toronto is one of Canada's major inland ports and is situated on the northwest shore of Lake Ontario. For over 100 years, the Port of Toronto has been connecting Toronto to the world. Located minutes from Toronto's downtown core, the Port provides a seamless network of cost-effective intermodal links to road, rail and air transportation, serving as a unique and crucial piece of economic infrastructure. Marine cargo arriving and managed at the Port of Toronto also generated $377.7 million in economic activity and 1,566 jobs in Ontario in 2017 as confirmed in a report – Economic Impacts of the Port of Toronto – published in September 2018 by Martin Associates. The Port also welcomes cruise ships and passengers from around the globe through the Cruise Ship Terminal.
 
In addition to its economic impact, increased imports through the port has a positive impact on the environment and traffic congestion given the 2.2 million metric tonnes of cargo delivered by ship took approximately 54,000, 40-tonne trucks off Toronto's congested roads and highways. In fact, one tonne of freight can travel 240 kilometres on a single litre of fuel by ship, whereas it can only travel 30 kilometres on the same amount of fuel by truck. Take a virtual tour of the Port of Toronto to learn about the important role the Port plays in Canada's transportation network as well as the environmental benefit of marine transportation.
 
About PortsToronto (https://www.portstoronto.com)
For more than 100 years PortsToronto has worked with its partners at the federal, provincial and municipal levels to enhance the economic growth of the City of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. PortsToronto owns and operates Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, which welcomed 2.8 million passengers in 2018; the Outer Harbour Marina, one of Canada's largest freshwater marinas; and, Marine Terminal 52, which provides transportation, distribution, storage and container services to businesses at the Port of Toronto. PortsToronto is committed to fostering strong, healthy and sustainable communities and has invested more than $11 million since 2009 in charitable initiatives and environmental programs that benefit communities along Toronto's waterfront and beyond. PortsToronto operates in accordance with the Canada Marine Act and is guided by a nine-member board with representation from all three levels of government.
 
   
Media Contact:
Sarah Sutton
Manager, Communications and Government Relations
PortsToronto
Cell: (647) 298-0544
E-mail: ssutton@portstoronto.com