Hold off on closing producer-car loading sites, says APAS president

Hold off on closing producer-car loading sites, says APAS president

Government needs to "get off the pot" and do a full rail costing review

The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) is asking for a time-out on Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway’s planned closure of 10 producer-car loading sites. “It’s great to have legislation (saying) that we can get producer cars, but if there’s nowhere to drop them off, it’s not going to help anybody,” says Todd Lewis, president of […] Read more

“We’re ready to move whatever size grain crop that we see this year,” says David Przednowek, CN’s director of grain marketing.

CN sets new record for grain shipment

Better communication with partners and longer trains help move grain faster, more efficiently

Canadian National (CN) Railway set a new record for grain shipment in 2016-2017, nudging past the 2014-15 record by two per cent. The railway moved a total of 21.8 million tonnes in the last year, and also set new monthly shipping records during the fall and winter. The railway attributes its success to a combination […] Read more



Grain cars moving, but not fast enough for some farmers

Grain cars moving, but not fast enough for some farmers

Poor weather slows loading on the West Coast

With spring around the corner, some farmers are worried they won’t get grain delivered before road bans and field work begins. Brian Stratuliak is a grain and cattle producer in the Dawson Creek, B.C., area. He had planned to deliver 300 tonnes of feed wheat this winter, but has only been able to deliver 120 […] Read more


Walter Moebis took this photo of parked empty grain cars near Rycroft, Alta., on Jan. 19.

Too many grain cars left out in the cold?

Ag Transport Coalition reports CP rail car performance drops

Walter Moebis came across a strange sight while visiting family near Rycroft, Alta., in mid-January.  A line of Canadian National (CN) hopper cars, which he estimated to be four to five miles long, sat on the tracks west of Rycroft. Moebis’ father-in-law said the cars had been there a week or so earlier. When Walter […] Read more

Grain transportation mostly smooth in January

Grain transportation mostly smooth in January

CN hopper car demand up, while CP car demand down from previous year

Grain movement has been relatively smooth for much of January, according to the latest numbers from the Ag Transport Coalition. Canadian National (CN) has supplied over 90 per cent of hopper cars order between January 8th and 21st, according the Coalition’s reports for grain weeks 24 and 25. Canadian Pacific (CP) filled 73 per cent […] Read more


(FIle photo by Allan Dawson)

Grains sector continues to welcome transport legislation

CNSC – Accolades from producer groups and others in the grain industry continue to roll in for the federal government’s upcoming transportation legislation. The planned measures were outlined this week by Marc Garneau, the federal transportation minister, in a speech in Montreal. The new legislation will allow reciprocal penalties in service level agreements between railway […] Read more



Moving on from the CTA Review

Moving on from the CTA Review

The Canadian Transportation Act has been reviewed, but changes are not finalized

The Canadian Transpor­tation Act Review has wrapped, but it’s far from a done deal. The federal government could shelve the report, but that’s unlikely given the stakeholder interest, says Steve Pratte, policy development manager with the Canadian Canola Growers Association. It’s also unlikely that the government will implement recommendations without consulting first, he adds. In fact, Transport Minister […] Read more

Reviewing the transport review

David Emerson't review of the transportation system isn't all great news for farmers

I think it’s fair to say David Emerson’s transportation system review was a bit of a let-down for the grain sector. There were a few bright spots in the report. It suggests an infrastructure program to fund capital investments in short-line railways. Producer car shippers should have the same protection as other shippers, the report […] Read more