Thunder Bay's economic development hinged on its role as a transportation hub and its port was integral to that. From the early days of the grain trade to the development of the massive elevators that still mark its waterfront, Thunder Bay was vital to the development of the Canadian wheat economy. At its peak, over thirty grain elevators lined the waterfront in Thunder Bay and it was the largest grain port in the world. Thunder Bay's port underwent a decline in the 1980s as a result of shifts in global grain markets that persisted into the early 21st century but recent years have seen a resurgence of both the grain trade and the port. Indeed, there is new life in the entire St. Lawrence Seaway as a recent piece in the Globe and Mail noted that 2017 has seen a 20 percent increase in freight movement driven by iron ore and grain shipping.
