A busy year for the St. Lawrence Economic Development Council

摘要

Imagine, for a moment, that the St. Lawrence Seaway is closed. All of a sudden, an entire facet of our economy would decline and our consumer habits would be turned upside down. Most people are unaware that 80% of consumer goods transit by ship and that the maritime industry represents close to 400 companies, generates 16 000 direct jobs, pays $1 billion in salaries and contributes $2.3 billion to Quebec's gross domestic product. Is the Quebec maritime industry important? More than ever. So much so, that it must be central to governments' economic recovery strategies, according to the St. Lawrence Economic Development Council (SODES), which is mandated to protect and promote the economic interests of the St. Lawrence maritime community from a sustainable development perspective.