MORRISBURG – In 1975, Albert Runions was offered a one-week job, unaware that it would extend into an extraordinary 50-year tenure with the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation.
He initially turned down his first job offer from Gord McDonell, the lock superintendent at the time.
“He told me it would start as maybe a week or two, so when he offered me the job, I declined,” Runions told The Leader as he talked about his 50-year career last week.
However, his colleagues and friends gained through his job with Fetterly’s in Iroquois, advised him to take any opportunity offered.
“I didn’t know that, but they told me I just needed to get my foot in the door,” said Runions. So when a month later he was offered a second chance to go to work for the St. Lawrence Seaway Authority, he took it.
And the rest is history. “Once I was hired on, there was no looking back,” he said.
He worked his way up through the ranks. His first day was spent replacing broken guard rail posts along the section of the roadway that was once owned by the Seaway Authority that later became the SLSMC.
Starting as part of the maintenance crew, Runions recalled that it wasn’t always easy.
When he started he was working among war veterans and men who worked on building the lock, since they were given priority for Seaway jobs when they became available.
When Runions came on board, he was the “fresh blood.” With that came the “great honour” of being privy to the memories and stories of his veteran coworkers, but also the tribulations of having to work alongside some “crusty old characters,” too.
Runions persevered through all of it, continuing to advance his career, working his way up to Lockmaster in 1988 a position he has held ever since. The title is now Team Leader, but the title of Lockmaster is still posted above the office door as a nod to history.
As part of the training for Lockmaster, he was required to keep detailed logs of all movement through the lock, a practice that he has continued ever since.
As of January 2, 2025 Runions has personally locked through a total of 21,010 commercial vessels and 10,210 pleasure crafts.
“I’ve dealt with a lot of fine people throughout the years,” said Runions. “Be it the captains, pilots, pleasure craft people; there’s a tremendous amount of nice people out there.”
Runions’ career longevity has given him a front-row seat to another extraordinary milestone achievement by the Iroquois Lock workforce: their unmatched safety record.
The Iroquois Lock workforce has not had a lost-time incident for 32 consecutive years, and is working towards 33.
“We take great pride in watching out for each other,” said Runions. “We all work together to maintain that safety record. That didn’t come overnight. It comes from years of experience and observations.”
Nicole Giroux-Laplante, Manager of Communications for the SLSMC, emphasizes that constant improvements and a strong team spirit of looking out for each other are key to maintaining that record.
Going from handwritten records and watchful eyes to fully integrated computer and camera systems over the last 50 years and now moving to hands free mooring is a lot of change presenting various challenges, but Runions says: “I have enjoyed the challenges and I have enjoyed the changes. It’s been a great place to work. It’s been a great experience. That’s why I’m still here.”
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