Unionized workers at the St. Lawrence Seaway have ratified a new four-year collective agreement, providing labour stability along a critical Canadian grain and commodity export corridor.
The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation said in a release Wednesday the agreement covers employees represented by five Unifor locals. The previous collective agreement expired on March 31, 2026.
“A four-year agreement provides greater stability and predictability for our customers, our employees and the industries that depend on the Seaway,” said SLSMC president and CEO Jim Athanasiou.
The agreement is particularly significant for the grain sector following the disruption caused by an eight-day Unifor strike in October 2023. About 360 workers walked off the job Oct. 22, shutting down most Seaway lock operations and halting vessel traffic between the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River during the busy fall grain shipping season.
The shutdown quickly backed up grain movement, especially in Ontario and Quebec.
The 2023 strike ended after Unifor and SLSMC reached a tentative agreement on Oct. 29, with vessel traffic beginning to resume the following day.
The Seaway connects the Great Lakes with the St. Lawrence River and global markets and serves as a major export route for Canadian grain and other bulk commodities.
SLSMC said the new agreement will provide greater predictability for customers and industries relying on the transportation corridor.
