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Why is coal shipped through the Welland Canal to Canadian steel mills and power plants?

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Map showing the St. Lawrence hydrographic system and the five main sectors of the St. Lawrence Seaway project, stretching from Lake Ontario near Kingston through various locks, canals, and dams along the Canada-United States border to Montreal. The map highlights key locations such as the Thousand Islands, International Rapids, Lake St. Francis, Soulanges, and Lachine sections, with detailed labeling of major locks, canals, and power dams. Cross sections of the lock and canal system are depicted — St. Lawrence Seaway The St. Lawrence hydrographic system, with the five main sectors of the St. Lawrence Seaway project.

Coal is transported through the Welland Canal primarily to supply Canadian steel mills and power plants with fuel sourced from mines in the United States.12

The canal serves as a vital navigational link that allows ships to bypass Niagara Falls, connecting Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. By providing this passage, the canal facilitates the movement of bulk commodities—which account for approximately 90 percent of the annual cargo tonnage on the St. Lawrence Seaway—between the Great Lakes and industrial centers.312