Great Lakes passenger steamers Lakes) and a high-speed catamaran running between Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Muskegon, Michigan. An international ferry ran on Lake Ontario from Rochester, New York to Toronto from 2004 to 2005, but it was plagued with high operating costs and low demand. The privately owned company was taken over by the City of Rochester, and the ship was sold overseas where it operated across the Strait of Gibraltar. Cruise ship traffic on the Great Lakes increased in the early-21st century, with ships like the MS Hamburg, the MS Saint Laurent and the smaller ships of the Great Lakes Cruise Company offering multi-day
Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers Resources Agreement and the Governors endorsed the companion Great Lakes Compact. This Compact was enacted into United States law in 2008 following approval by the state legislatures and the United States Congress. The organization's goals are to enhance competitiveness, grow the regional economy and create jobs. Ongoing initiatives include: The organization’s goal is to restore and protect the region’s waters. Ongoing initiatives include: Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers The Conference of Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers is a North American organization led by the government chief executives from the Canadian provinces Ontario and Québec