A key intermodal hub in Chicago

Canadian National Railway (CN) has been a longtime engine of economic growth in Illinois. The company invested $150 million across the state in 2022 alone and more than $1 billion over the last five years. Now CN is exploring a new Chicagoland Logistics Hub in Minooka, to move even more goods through Illinois.

CN investments have helped Will County maintain its position as the largest inland port in the United States, served by CN’s new transload facility in Bridgeview and its Chicago Intermodal Terminal in Harvey. If the new logistics hub goes ahead, it would expand CN operations with new jobs in addition to the estimated 1,500 already employed by CN operations in the Prairie State.

This is an example of how Canadian investments and partnerships build stable, local jobs and Illinois’ economy.

Canada: A critical energy supplier for Illinois

Illinois relies on Canada as its top affordable energy supplier, with $45 billion in Canadian crude oil supplying the state’s four major refineries — Citgo (Lemont), ExxonMobil (Joliet), Marathon Petroleum (Robinson), and Phillips 66 (Wood River). These facilities depend on Canadian heavy crude to blend with lighter U.S. oil, which ensures a stable, cost-effective fuel supply to meet growing demand.

This vital Canada–Illinois energy partnership strengthens Midwest energy security, powers Illinois’ manufacturing sector, supports thousands of jobs, sustains agriculture and helps keep fuel prices affordable for American consumers.

Illinois’ Cat powers Canada and brings in business

Caterpillar Inc. has become a global institution, celebrating 100 years of helping customers build a better more sustainable world, with Canada among its very first export destinations. Today, the company’s equipment is hard at work at mines and construction sites across Canada, and especially in the Athabasca oil sands in Alberta.

An extensive portfolio of Cat equipment developed the infrastructure to transport Canadian oil to U.S. refineries, and the region hosts the single-largest fleet of Cat 797 trucks operating worldwide — including the 797 that holds the world record of more than 130,000 working hours. And Cat’s Canadian business has kept driving innovation, including a recent conversion of an 81-truck fleet of Cat 797Fs into the industry’s largest fleet of autonomous mining machines.

This partnership brings stable business for the Illinois company and shows the value of trading partners like Canada for American businesses.

Illinois exports $17.5 billion in goods to Canada annually
Illinois exports to Canada by industry

• Agriculture: 10%
• Chemicals: 17%
• Energy: 9%
• Equipment & machinery: 33%
• Minerals & metals: 8%
• Plastics & rubbers: 7%
• Transportation: 12%
• Other: 4%

Top Illinois goods exports to Canada

• Fuel oil: $1.4 billion
• Pharmaceutical products: $921 million
• Plastics & plastic articles: $829 million
• Agricultural machinery: $792 million
• Optical, medical & precision instruments: $651 million
• Automobiles: $550 million
• Motor vehicle parts: $546 million
• Trucks: $522 million
• Iron & steel tubes, pipes & sheets: $402 million
• Perfumes, essential oils & toiletries: $392 million

Illinois exports $4.2 billion in services to Canada annually
Top Illinois services exports to Canada

• Business services: $1.5 billion
• Travel (including for education): $1.0 billion
• Financial services: $552 million
• Charges for the use of intellectual property: $404 million
• Transport: $300 million

Illinois imports $58.4 billion in goods from Canada annually
Illinois imports from Canada by industry

• Agriculture: 6%
• Chemicals: 3%
• Energy: 75%
• Equipment & machinery: 3%
• Minerals & metals: 5%
• Plastics & rubbers: 3%
• Other: 5%

Top Illinois goods imports from Canada

• Crude petroleum: $42.0 billion
• Natural gas & other gases: $1.7 billion
• Pearls, gems, precious metals & jewelry: $1.7 billion
• Plastics & plastic articles: $1.1 billion
• Pasta, breads & cereal preparations: $931 million
• Inorganic chemicals: $771 million
• Rubber & rubber articles: $606 million
• Paper & paperboard: $569 million
• Motor vehicle parts: $429 million
• Cocoa & chocolate: $423 million