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

Canada’s CPPIB to buy major U.S. port terminal operator
Canada Pension Plan's play furthers its infrastructure push

Maersk signs first green methanol deal toward dropping fossil fuels
Reading Time: 2 minutes Copenhagen | Reuters — A.P. Moller-Maersk said on Wednesday it had signed a contract securing green methanol as the world’s largest shipping firm gears up to operate its first carbon-neutral ship in 2023. With about 90 per cent of world trade transported by sea, global shipping accounts for nearly three per cent of the world’s […] Read more

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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