Canada’s major ports are critical to the supply chain, and these 5 largest major ports in Canada are significant gateways into the Canadian market. Canada borders the ocean to the west, east, and north, and with access to the USA and a thriving economy, it is a premier destination for shippers around the world. 

To get goods into Canada, cross-border shipping is common. Some suppliers ship goods across the US-Canada border, while others bring goods through the five largest ports in Canada listed below. From cars to refrigerated goods and perishable items like food, to other staples, billions of dollars worth of goods are imported each year through these large Canadian ports. That includes roughly 20% of Canada’s total imports yearly, with the remainder being shipped into the country by air and ground, including LTL Shipping from companies like ours. 

Here are the 5 largest major ports in Canada.

1. Port of Vancouver

The biggest major port in Canada is the Port of Vancouver, not surprisingly. Goods from around the world, particularly in high quantities from Asia, enter the Port of Vancouver in huge volumes, and it’s up to the top transportation companies in Vancouver to get goods to their final destinations in Canada and the USA. 

Trading over $200 billion in goods yearly with 170 economies around the globe, the Port of Vancouver is a gigantic operation. Even amidst the pandemic, the Port of Vancouver only saw a 1% decline in cargo from January to June 2020 compared year over year to 2019. For all intents and purposes, shipping goods, shipping perishables, and shipping refrigerated goods into BC is as busy as ever. 

2. Port of Montreal

A highly advanced port in terms of technology, the Port of Montreal is very AI-driven and is considered one of the most cutting edge ports in the world. The Port of Montreal is connected to 140 countries total, handling 40.6 million tonnes of cargo in 2019 alone – that’s over 10% of all the cargo handled in Canada that year. Liquid bulk, container, and dry bulk are handled in huge volumes, with over 2,500 trucks seeing the Port of Montreal daily. 

3. Port of Prince Rupert

The Prince Rupert Port Authority manages Canada’s third-largest port in Prince Rupert, BC. It might not have the name recognition that Vancouver and Montreal have, but the Port of Prince Rupert’s numbers speak for themselves. 

Despite a year of unprecedented changes in 2020, the Port of Prince Rupert saw an increase in goods handled. There was an uptick of 9% year over year, as 32 million tonnes of cargo was handled by the Port of Prince Rupert in 2020. A huge percentage of goods that are shipped in British Columbia, including goods that are moved by reliable transportation companies in BC, come into the province via Prince Rupert. 

4. Port of Halifax

The Port of Halifax is another major port in Canada, priding itself on being data-driven, and capturing data on shipments every 15 minutes or less. The Port of Halifax is actually connected to even more countries than the Port of Montreal, having relationships with 150 countries. 

1,400 vessels were welcomed into the Port of Halifax in 2019. Their truck wait time was less than 30 minutes on average, which is one of the lowest wait times in Canada, and all of North America. 

5. Port of St. John

St. John is home to the largest port in Atlantic Canada, with connections to the rest of Canada via both road and rail. The Port of St. John handles roughly 28 million metric tons of cargo yearly and has good connections with 500 ports worldwide. This makes it the fifth of the largest major ports in Canada. The port is easily accessible from the Trans-Canada Highway, making getting goods on the road and transported across Canada an easy transition. 

These five major parts are the largest in Canada, offering countries around the world the chance to enter the Canadian market and have their goods shipped via truck to their final destination. Be sure to read reviews on the top trucking companies in Canada before you work with a transportation company, and contact our team of logistics professionals if you need a quote to get your goods delivered.