railways Archives - Page 7 of 8

Moving on from the CTA Review

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

By Lisa Guenther May 30, 2016

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

Crops, Markets

Post-CWB review flags grain trade ‘inefficiency’

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News April 13, 2016

WITHDRAWN, April 15, 2016: A historian’s review of the Prairie grain trade, commissioned by supporters of the former single marketing desk for wheat and barley, suggests history is repeating itself at grain growers’ expense — but the data on which the review is based is now being questioned. The Canadian Wheat Board Alliance on Wednesday released a […] Read more

Crops, Machinery

Debate: Sask. ag leaders seek rail response

By Lisa Guenther, GFM Network News March 23, 2016

If there’s one thing all Saskatchewan’s political parties can agree on, it’s that the current rail system isn’t working for grain producers — but there’s less consensus on the solutions. Transportation is the single most important issue facing grain growers in Saskatchewan right now, said Cathy Sproule, the provincial New Democrats’ ag critic, during an […] Read more

A CN train near the Scott Research arm in Sask.

Cereals, Features

Is it time we scrapped that cap?

Prepare for the debate by reading the details about the Maximum Revenue Entitlement

By Lisa Guenther November 24, 2015

If you’ve been following the transportation debates, you’ve heard about the maximum revenue entitlement, or revenue cap. And that means you’ve probably heard a lot of contradictory, confusing, and outright false information about how the revenue cap works and how it affects rail service. While it’s a complex issue, there are facts to be found. […] Read more

Crops, Machinery, Reuters

Canada, U.S. toughen oil train safety standards

By GFM Network News May 1, 2015

Washington/New York | Reuters — The U.S. and Canada on Friday announced long-awaited safety rules for trains carrying oil, as regulators seek to reduce risks after a series of explosive accidents that accompanied a surge in crude-by-rail shipments. The rules call for a rapid phase-out of older tank cars considered unsafe during derailments, and are […] Read more

Aerial view of Lac-Megantic after the July 2013 derailment and explosion that killed 47 people. (TSB.gc.ca)

Crops, Machinery, Reuters

Canada to set new speed limits on dangerous goods trains

By Reuters, GFM Network News April 23, 2015

Updated April 25, 2015 — Ottawa | Reuters — Canada will immediately impose a new speed limit of 65 kilometres per hour for dangerous goods trains moving through urban areas with more than 100,000 people, Transport Minister Lisa Raitt said Thursday. This is one of many measures the Conservative government has introduced since the July […] Read more

News

Grain movement chills in winter

By Lisa Guenther January 7, 2015

Why can’t the railways push through winter? Kyle Petluk hails from Alberta’s Peace River region. He was one of few farmer delegates at the Field on Wheels transportation conference in Winnipeg last December. Farmers are hurting after last winter, not CN and CP shareholders, he said during an interview. “(The railways are) saying it’s a […] Read more

Crops, News

Farmers still concerned about grain movement

Grain is moving more freely this winter, but concerns linger

By Lisa Guenther January 6, 2015

The grain industry’s transportation woes have eased somewhat over the last few months, but farmers’ concerns linger. To get a sense of where things are at and what need to be done to resolve the complex issues around transportation, Grainews spoke to farmers from each Prairie province. Grain bound for ports at the West Coast […] Read more

Crops, Machinery

CN overshoots 2013-14 grain handling revenue cap

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News December 18, 2014

The Western Grains Research Foundation will get a $4.98 million gift this season from Canadian National Railway, but not out of holiday spirit per se. The Canadian Transportation Agency on Thursday ruled CN, during the 2013-14 crop year, exceeded its maximum allowable revenue from Prairie grain handling by $4,981,915, above its previously set “entitlement” of […] Read more

Crops, Machinery, Markets

Grain freight minimums beneficial, but not seen as best solution

By GFM Network News December 1, 2014

CNS Canada –– The Canadian government’s decision to extend its order-in-council requiring a minimum tonnage of grain shipped by the two major railways each week will benefit the ag industry — but it’s not the best solution out there, according to some participants. “Extending the minimum volume requirements through the coming winter and spring season […] Read more

Klassen: Feeder market slips off record highs

China trade envoy meets US Midwest delegation as agriculture exports loom large in talks

Wildfire smoke helped counter extreme heat, benefitting this year’s canola crop

GFM Network News