The Garden City container terminal at Savannah is operated by Ports America on behalf of the Georgia Ports Authority. (Photo courtesy Georgia Ports Authority)

Canada’s CPPIB to buy major U.S. port terminal operator

Canada Pension Plan's play furthers its infrastructure push

Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) said on Wednesday it had agreed to buy Ports America, one of the largest marine terminal operators in the U.S., from investment firm Oaktree Capital Management. While no valuation was given in the announcement, the deal values Ports America at over US$4 billion, according to two sources […] Read more



A Shanghai container terminal. (Chuyu/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Container crisis affecting markets, shipments

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — As hot and dry weather, especially in Western Canada, have wrought havoc on Canadian pulse crops and raised prices, it’s also becoming more difficult to export pulses overseas. Shipping containers, in which 30 per cent of Canada’s peas and more than 50 per cent of Canada’s lentils are transported, are currently in a […] Read more

A grain train pulls up alongside a cargo vessel at the Alliance Grain Terminal at Vancouver on Oct. 6, 2011. (File photo: Reuters/Ben Nelms)

Grain commission proposes big inspection fee cut

Effective Aug. 1 the cost of outward inspection would be cut by 29 per cent

Reading Time: 4 minutes The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC), whose role in Canadian grain quality assurance is under federal review, wants to cut its fees for four official grain inspection and official grain weighing services effective Aug. 1, the start of the new crop year. The change will save Canada’s grain sector millions of dollars over the next three […] Read more


File photo of the Port of Montreal. (Guy Banville/iStock/Getty Images)

Back-to-work rule for Montreal dockworkers clears Parliament

Bill granted royal assent Friday night

Reading Time: 2 minutes A week-long strike by dockworkers at the Port of Montreal is expected to conclude after federal back-to-work legislation passed Parliament Friday evening. Bill C-29, introduced Tuesday in the House of Commons, cleared third reading in the Commons Wednesday and received three readings in the Senate and royal assent Friday. The port’s longshore workers, represented by […] Read more

File photo of cranes at the Port of Montreal. (Jean-Paul_Lejeune/iStock/Getty Images)

Ottawa urged to end Montreal longshoremen’s strike

Back-to-work legislation on table; NDP, Bloc oppose it

Reading Time: 2 minutes Montreal | Reuters — Dockworkers at Canada’s second-largest port on Monday began their second strike in less than a year, as business leaders urged Ottawa to quickly end a walkout they said could cost the economy $25 million a day. The federal Liberal government said Sunday it would introduce special legislation to end the strike […] Read more


(Canest-transit.ca)

Montreal longshore workers escalate strike

Strike to move from part-time to full-time on Monday

Reading Time: 3 minutes Exports of containerized crops and other goods and imports of ag inputs may stall as striking longshore workers at the Port of Montreal get set to level up from part-time to full-time work stoppage. The Syndicat des debardeurs du port de Montreal (CUPE Local 375) said Friday its members, who have been striking on weekends […] Read more

A man waves an Egyptian flag after the Ever Given, one of the world’s largest container ships, is fully floated on the Suez Canal in Egypt on March 29, 2021. (Photo: Suez Canal Authority handout via Reuters)

Pulse weekly outlook: Shipping delays aggravate growers, exporters

Montreal longshoremen's strike again possible

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — On top of disruptions to major supply chains and shipping routes already due to the COVID-19 pandemic, recent events are causing even more headaches for pulse exporters and growers. The six-day blockage of the Suez Canal by the grounded container ship Ever Given caused a major backup of container ships, tankers and other […] Read more


(Canest-transit.ca)

Push on to prevent strike at Port of Montreal

A work stoppage that could start March 20 would disrupt containerized grain exports

Reading Time: 3 minutes Ottawa needs to act now to prevent a strike March 20 that would stop containerized grain from being exported from the Port of Montreal, says Jeff English, vice-president of marketing and communications at Pulse Canada. “This is something we can see off in the distance, but we are going to be there before you know […] Read more

Green lentils. (Savany/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Markets steady heading into holidays

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Pea and lentil markets in Western Canada are holding relatively steady heading into the holiday season, with little movement expected one way or the other until the New Year. “That’s normal for this time of year,” said Dale McManus of Johnston’s Grain at Welwyn, Sask. on the lack of activity and stagnant prices. […] Read more