Port of Toronto has record 2019

TORONTO – The Port of Toronto moved 2.3 million tonnes of cargo in 2019, marking the highest recorded cargo levels in 15 years.

The number of ships visiting the Port of Toronto increased by nearly 20 percent, with 213 ships visiting the Port of Toronto in 2019 versus 179 ships in 2018.

Overall, the Port moved 2,297,029 tonnes of cargo, bringing road salt, sugar, cement, aggregate and steel directly into the city’s core.

With the Greater Toronto Area’s construction industry showing no signs of slowing down, cement cargo imports increased by close to 10 percent with more than 656,000 tonnes delivered through the Port of Toronto last year. The Port also recorded the highest salt cargo levels in nearly 15 years with more than 876,000 tonnes imported, while sugar cargo imports from Central and South America remained consistent with 2018 levels at approximately 572,000 tonnes.

In addition, the Port saw steel products such as rebar, steel coils, steel plate, beam and mesh totalling more than 44,000 tonnes and recorded approximately 14,000 tonnes in warehousing storage.

“From supplying salt for our roads, sugar for our food and beverage sector and essential supplies such as cement and steel to support the Greater Toronto Area’s booming construction industry, the goods delivered through the Port of Toronto are part of an important supply chain that supports Canada’s largest city,” said Geoffrey Wilson, PortsToronto CEO.

In addition to its economic impact, increased imports through the port has a positive impact on the environment given the 2.3 million metric tonnes of cargo delivered by ship last year took approximately 54,000, 40-tonne trucks off Toronto’s congested roads and highways.