CGLR’s policy research and programs address regional concerns and strive to encourage regional collaboration, provide evidence to be used in regional decision-making, and offer concrete and practical solutions. CGLR works to integrate the economic and environmental agendas of the region. Research and programs are undertaken by working groups and are led by CGLR members.
In today’s climate of global trade and investment, companies that scale, innovate, export and attract investment are proven to be more successful. However, it’s not easy for small and medium-sized companies to understand where the business opportunities are, the risks involved with exporting, or how to get help with their growth and investment strategies.
Not exporting yet? Become a member of the Council and then create a Great Lakes Ready account to begin your export readiness journey. There are countless benefits:
Great Lakes Ready is a free service available to CGLR members. The content you’ll receive is tailored to you, so there’s value here for both experienced or novice exporters!
For a quick overview of the Great Lakes Ready portal, watch this video:
It takes two minutes to sign up to the Great Lakes Ready Portal – and it’s free.
The region’s transportation connections are central to the economic competitiveness and prosperity of the region and the quality of life of 107 million people that call the region home. They will be just as critical to region’s future in a borderless global economy.
But parts of the region’s transportation have frayed. Aging infrastructure and capacity constraints stress the region’s transportation systems. Intensifying infrastructure problems is the legacy of silo-based planning. The region also face new and emerging technologies that will profoundly change how people and freight use transportation infrastructure and move through the region.
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One of the key characteristics of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Region is the highly integrated nature of its economy and environment. Many of the region’s key industries rely on its water.
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In an effort to eliminate infrastructure deficits and investment gaps in the Great Lakes region the Council of the Great Lakes Region will lead an effort to modernize infrastructure…
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Over the past six decades, tourism experienced continued expansion and diversification, becoming one of the largest and fastest-growing economic sectors in the world…
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The rise of unconventional oil and gas and of renewables is also transforming our understanding of the distribution of the world’s energy resources.
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Develop mechanisms to encourage cross-border trade by the region’s SMEs by increasing knowledge-sharing, reducing regulatory and capacity barriers, and engagement with the current round of consultations on Beyond the Border and the Regulatory Cooperation Council.
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Facilitate agreements and regulatory arrangements to mutually recognize certifications in the skilled trades across Great Lakes-St. Lawrence jurisdictions.
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Create a forum to convene all government agencies working on security issues in the region to encourage increased coordination and communication.
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The Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Region is a mega-marketplace in the North American and global economy.
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The region is home to one of the world’s most inter-connected and integrated multi-modal systems, from the United States’ largest rail hub in Chicago to the vast network of airports, roads, pipelines, ports and waterways.
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The United States and Canada share the longest border between two nations in the world.
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The Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Region is home to 50% of Canadian and 20% of American manufacturing.
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Each year, the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Region contributes roughly USD$232 billion to United States – Canada trade.
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Several other promising ideas proposed at the launch event require further consultation. These suggestions include the following:
Please provide us with your feedback on these projects. We hope you will engage with them as they evolve. CGLR’s network and its members will be essential to the success of all of these initiatives.
Get Involved
CGLR is a member-based organization that works to enhance regional collaboration and cross-border integration by bringing together stakeholders from the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors to advance effective, coordinated, and broadly shared responses to the region’s common challenges.
©2016 Council of the Great Lakes Region
