A Great Place to do Business

• Ontario and Quebec's strategic assets include their central geographic location in Canada and their transportation systems that are fully integrated within North American networks.

• The Continental Gateway is the key point of entry for international trade with the United States' economic heartland and large consumer markets, as well as a secure and efficient hub for trade from the Pacific and Atlantic coasts.

• Over 60 per cent of Canada's population lives in Ontario and Quebec. They are home to the country's two largest urban areas - Montreal and Toronto - and their highly skilled and diversified labour force.

• The Continental Gateway offers direct access to 135 million North American consumers within a 1,000-kilometre radius, less than a one-day trip.

• Ontario and Quebec also have the largest concentration of manufacturing industries in Canada, which accounts for 60 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Many automobile, electronic, agri-food and other industries have integrated their operations on both sides of the border.

• The Continental Gateway's multimodal transportation system includes many ports along the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes, as well as international airports. Two national railways and major highways provide intermodal links between all key Gateway facilities, providing safe, secure and reliable access to the rest of the continent.